Republican U.S. Senator Roger Wicker told Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Tuesday that he opposes plans to open an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Mississippi, Reuters reports.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is in the final stages of taking over a warehouse facility in Bayhalia, Mississippi, which it intends to convert into a federal immigration detention center, Wicker said in a letter to Noem.
"While I support the enforcement of immigration laws, I am writing to express my opposition to this acquisition and the proposed detention center," the senator wrote.
The facility, if opened by the Trump administration, would have a capacity of more than 8.500 beds, according to Wicker, who added that the city of Bajhalia lacks the necessary medical and social infrastructure to support such a large detainee population.
He said the location being considered by the Department of Homeland Security is already earmarked for another economic development project, which would provide new jobs and opportunities for private investment.
Wicker, Mississippi's top representative in the U.S. Senate, said opening the detention center would hinder opportunities for economic growth.
"Many of my constituents have expressed concerns regarding the public safety, medical capacity, and economic consequences this center would impose on their communities. Proceeding with this acquisition without adequately addressing those issues disregards the views of the community," added Viker.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration at the federal level, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
As of last month, ICE was holding more than 70.000 detainees in more than 200 facilities. The Bajhaliya facility would support Trump's goal of increasing immigration detention during his second year in office.
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