Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) has strongly opposed a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposal to transform a warehouse in Byhalia, Mississippi, into an ICE detention center.
Wicker stated, “I strongly oppose DHS’s proposed plan to turn a warehouse in Byhalia, Mississippi, into an ICE detention center. I am all for immigration enforcement, but this site was meant for economic development and job creation. We cannot suddenly flood Byhalia with an influx of up to 10,000 detainees.”
The Department of Homeland Security reportedly intends to purchase a warehouse on Mt. Carmel Road near Interstate 269 and convert it into a holding facility for deportations. No final decision has been made on the plan.
In a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Wicker emphasized his support for enforcing immigration laws while urging reconsideration of the proposal due to potential strains on local infrastructure and public safety concerns. He noted that the site represents an opportunity for job creation, private investment, and long-term economic growth in Marshall County, which is already experiencing meaningful expansion and increased interest from employers seeking to locate or expand in North Mississippi.
Wicker further explained that preserving development-ready industrial sites is essential to sustaining this growth. Converting the warehouse into an ICE detention center would foreclose economic opportunities and replace them with a use that does not generate comparable returns or community benefits.
He also highlighted significant feasibility concerns, stating that the proposed facility would have a capacity exceeding 8,500 beds. Existing medical and human services infrastructure in Byhalia is insufficient to support such a large detainee population, and establishing the detention center would place considerable strain on local resources.
Wicker indicated he could block the facility by adding language to the full-year Homeland Security Appropriations bill, which congressional negotiators aim to pass before February 13.
Additionally, ICE detention centers are currently holding a record 73,000 people in mid-January, marking a 75 percent increase since the start of President Trump’s second term.
