US immigration detention maxed out at 47,600 detainees, ICE official says
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The Trump administration is seeking more bed space in its drive to round up and deport illegal immigrants.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – US immigration detention is filled to capacity at 47,600 detainees, a senior US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official said on a call with reporters on March 12, adding that the Trump administration was seeking more bed space.
The official, who requested anonymity as a condition of the call, said the agency was expanding its capacity with support from the US Defence Department, US Marshals Service and US Bureau of Prisons.
ICE is currently funded to house an average of 41,500 detainees.
The official said the agency was working with US lawmakers to secure more funding for detention bed space.
US President Donald Trump, a Republican, has vowed to deport record numbers of migrants in the US illegally, saying it is needed after high levels of illegal immigration under his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden.
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