A newly released federal planning document shows that a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility planned for San Antonio is expected to be operational by Nov. 30, 2026, even as key questions remain unanswered about the size and scope of the facility.
The plan, released Thursday by the office of New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, outlines ICE’s “Detention Re-Engineering Initiative,” a federally funded effort to modernize and standardize detention infrastructure nationwide. The initiative calls for two types of facilities — short-term regional processing centers and large-scale detention centers — all slated to be activated by late 2026.
According to the document, regional processing centers would be designed to hold roughly 1,000 to 1,500 detainees for brief stays of several days, while larger detention facilities could house between 7,000 and 10,000 detainees for periods lasting up to two months.
ICE officials confirmed earlier this month that the agency purchased land and a facility in San Antonio for detention use. Around the same time, deed transfer records filed with the Bexar County Clerk’s Office showed the sale of a nearly 640,000-square-foot industrial warehouse near Loop 410 known as Oakmont 410 to the federal government.
The San Antonio Report contacted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE on Friday seeking clarification on which type of facility is expected to operate in San Antonio. ICE acknowledged receipt of the inquiry and said a spokesperson was working on the request, but no additional details have been provided.
The federal plan states that ICE conducted site-specific assessments for each facility, including evaluations of water, wastewater, power capacity, fire protection and environmental compliance under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Alongside the release of the detention re-engineering initiative, Ayotte’s office published an economic impact assessment conducted by ICE for a new detention facility planned in New Hampshire. No comparable economic or environmental assessment has been released publicly for the San Antonio site.
The San Antonio Report also contacted the City of San Antonio and the office of state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) — a vocal critic of the proposed detention facility who recently wrote a letter urging congressional leaders to oppose DHS funding without greater local oversight — to ask whether local or state officials had received any of the assessments referenced in the federal plan.
A city spokesperson said the city has not received any such assessments from the Department of Homeland Security.
City officials have previously said San Antonio is not required to be notified of federal real estate transactions and has limited authority over federal facilities.
Earlier this week, City Council approved a resolution directing city staff to evaluate what actions the city can legally take in response to federal immigration enforcement activity and the newly purchased detention facility, while limiting cooperation to what is required by law.
The federal plan places the San Antonio purchase within a broader national build-out funded by the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which ICE says provides resources to significantly expand detention capacity amid mass deportation efforts. Nationwide, the initiative aims to support tens of thousands of additional detention beds and a growing enforcement footprint under President Donald Trump.
For local officials, the lack of detailed information has complicated efforts to assess potential impacts on emergency services, utilities, transportation and public health — concerns repeatedly raised by residents during recent City Council meetings.
City staff are scheduled to return to council with updates on their evaluation of policy options and legal constraints in early March, while county officials are set to discuss jurisdictional issues related to the facility later this month during a Bexar County Commissioners Court executive session.
This is a developing story, updates will be provided as they become available.
