U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker is urging federal officials to rethink plans to convert a warehouse in north Mississippi into a detention facility for undocumented immigrants.
Wicker, in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, expressed staunch opposition to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement taking over a facility in Byhalia to house detainees. While acknowledging that he supports law enforcement, especially when it comes to upholding immigration regulations, the Republican from Mississippi is concerned that ICE’s presence in the region could hamper economic growth.
“This site is currently positioned for economic development purposes. It represents an opportunity for job creation, private investment, and long-term economic growth in Marshall County,” Wicker wrote. “The county is already experiencing meaningful growth and increased interest from employers seeking to locate or expand in North Mississippi.
“Preserving limited, development-ready industrial sites is essential to sustaining this growth. Converting this industrial asset into an ICE detention center forecloses economic growth opportunities and replaces them with a use that does not generate comparable economic returns or community benefits.”
Wicker’s letter followed a January protest in which organizers sounded the alarm that the owner of a warehouse on Mt. Carmel Road was preparing to sell the property or lease it to the Trump administration for ICE’s use. Among those in attendance at the protest were civil rights lawyer and congressional candidate Cliff Johnson, along with DeSoto Mutual Aid Collective vice chair Chelsea Howard. Their cries, paired with echoes of concerns from other area residents, got Wicker’s attention.
“Many of my constituents have voiced concerns regarding public safety, medical capacity, and economic impacts this center would impose on their communities,” Wicker continued. “Proceeding with this acquisition without adequately addressing these issues disregards community input.”
Wicker also took note that the facility itself may not be up to code in having the capacity to house droves of people, as he added that ICE’s plan entailed holding roughly 8,500 detainees in the converted warehouse. On top of that, the senator is not confident that the small Marshall County town has the personnel or resources to man the detention center. Byhalia has a population of around 1,300 people, though it is located near a populous Memphis and DeSoto County region.
“The proposed conversion also raises serious feasibility concerns. Detention facilities impose substantial and specialized infrastructure demands — including transportation access, water, sewer, and energy costs, staffing, medical care, and emergency services,” Wicker added. “From my understanding, the ICE detention 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. Establishing a detention center at this site would place a significant strain on local resources.”
Wicker’s letter comes at a time when ICE’s presence has been met with intense scrutiny in certain communities, particularly Minneapolis, where American citizens Renee Goode and Alex Pretti were shot and killed by agents on separate occasions, though the shootings have not yielded any arrests or charges against agents at this time.
ICE, which is under the umbrella of the department Noem heads, has been mobilized by the Trump administration to make arrests in areas where officials believe hotbeds of undocumented immigration exist.
“I strongly urge ICE to reconsider this acquisition and the development of a detention center in Byhalia, Mississippi,” Wicker concluded in his letter to Noem. “I look forward to your prompt response and request that you keep me informed of this acquisition and any future ICE contracting proposals affecting the state of Mississippi. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
ICE has not responded to a request for comment from SuperTalk Mississippi News at this time.
