The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has acquired two immigrant detention facilities in Adelanto, California, from the private prison operator GEO Group for $950 million, marking a significant expansion of federal control over immigration detention capacity on the West Coast. The announcement was made Monday, with the sale comprising the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, which houses 1,940 beds, and the Desert View Annex, with an additional 704-bed capacity.

This transaction follows a similar move last summer when CoreCivic, a Tennessee-based competitor, sold two other California detention centers in a $1.5 billion deal. Both acquisitions align with the Trump administration’s broader strategy to solidify its ability to detain immigrants targeted for deportation by shifting facility ownership from state to federal hands. The change is intended to circumvent state-level policies and oversight, notably those enacted by California, which have expanded regulatory authority over immigration detention centers.

California lawmakers, led by Governor Gavin Newsom, recently approved over 20 bills designed to challenge federal immigration enforcement efforts, including measures that empower the state attorney general to initiate civil lawsuits to protect detainees’ constitutional rights and mandate the disclosure of various public records related to detention facilities. DHS officials have argued that federal ownership is essential to maintain adequate detention infrastructure in light of these state laws.

GEO Group’s CEO, George C. Zoley, has characterized ongoing legal actions against the company as “unwarranted litigation” resulting from purported unsafe conditions at its facilities. Federal ownership, Zoley suggested, might shield the company from some liability while allowing it to maintain operational control. Under the terms of the deal, GEO Group will continue managing the Adelanto centers pursuant to its existing contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which runs through December 2034.

This purchase is part of a broader federal investment totaling nearly $3.2 billion for acquiring detention facilities, predominantly in California. CoreCivic has also divested detention centers in Minnesota and Kansas. The increased acquisitions come after the passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which allocated $45 billion for immigration detention under President Trump's administration, reflecting efforts to expand detention capacity nationwide.

GEO Group indicated that it is actively negotiating further facility sales with DHS but emphasized its intent to remain a primary service provider under long-term contracts. The company expects to net approximately $705 million from recent sales after accounting for taxes and fees, plans to reduce debt, and aims to repurchase shares.

The Adelanto centers have faced scrutiny from immigrant advocacy groups and lawmakers due to allegations of inadequate drinking water, food, sanitation, and medical care. A federal class-action lawsuit filed this year alleges such deficiencies, leading a federal judge to order improvements. Since last year, four deaths have been reported at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, with internal ICE reviews highlighting lapses in medical care. The case of Ismael Ayala-Uribe, who died following medical complications after being detained there, has drawn particular attention following the release of confidential investigation records by independent researchers.

Separately, DHS recently committed to expanding detention infrastructure with a $1.2 billion contract to enlarge a federally owned facility in El Centro, California, which is currently operated by GEO Group under a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service. This expansion underscores ongoing federal efforts to increase immigrant detention capacity in the state amid evolving legal and political challenges.