Plan to convert Inland Empire warehouse into immigration detention center raises concern

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Residents and local officials in Riverside and San Bernardino counties are sounding the alarm over reports that the Trump administration plans to convert commercial warehouses into massive immigrant detention centers.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intends to spend $38.3 billion to purchase warehouse properties across 22 states, according to reporting from The Washington Post. The agency reportedly plans to use the sites as high-capacity holding facilities for individuals awaiting deportation.

The Inland Empire has emerged as a primary target for the expansion due to its proximity to the border and an abundance of vacant industrial space. The region is currently home to a thriving logistics industry and approximately one million immigrants.

Local activists and community leaders expressed deep concern regarding the humanitarian and economic impact of such facilities, noting that the reports have already sparked widespread fear throughout the community.

While no official plans for California have been confirmed, spokespeople for major cities in the region said they have not yet received any formal notification from the federal government.

Advocacy groups and local governments have pledged to vigorously oppose any attempt to establish these facilities. The promised resistance aligns with California’s long-standing policy of challenging hardline federal immigration enforcement.

The reported ICE expansion marks a strategic escalation in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement doctrine, signaling a shift toward industrial-scale detention to facilitate mass deportations. By pivoting away from traditional, fragmented facilities in favor of retrofitting large-scale warehouses, the administration is prioritizing logistical speed and volume. The selection of sites in regions like California's Inland Empire is tactical; these hubs offer the vast square footage and transport connectivity required to accelerate the removal pipeline.

This move sets the stage for a high-stakes constitutional showdown over federal supremacy. California, a bastion of Democratic opposition, is expected to deploy a battery of legal and political challenges to obstruct federal expansion within its borders. The resulting litigation will likely test the limits of state-level resistance against federal immigration mandates, creating a volatile legal environment for both policymakers and local municipalities.

Humanitarian concerns remain the primary driver of opposition, with critics citing a history of overcrowding and medical negligence at existing ICE contractors, such as the Adelanto facility. Beyond the ethical implications, the plan occupies a precarious legal grey area. By potentially invoking federal preemption to bypass local zoning ordinances and safety codes, the administration risks sidelining community oversight and creating significant public safety vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the economic repercussions loom large; analysts warn that an aggressive expansion of the detention apparatus could destabilize regional labor markets, inducing a chilling effect that disrupts both the local workforce and broader economic stability.

The Inland Empire is home to a substantial Vietnamese-American community. While much of the current discourse focuses on the Latino population, large-scale immigration sweeps and the expansion of detention centers would trigger deep-seated anxiety across all immigrant enclaves. An increased ICE presence would inevitably weigh heavily on Vietnamese small businesses—including the nail salons and phở restaurants that anchor our local economy. For families navigating the complexities of the legal system, whether they are awaiting F2B petitions or maintaining status through H-1B, TPS, or EB-5 programs, this heightened enforcement creates a climate of fear that disrupts daily life and threatens the stability of the entire community.