For those talking about the lack of food in ICE facilities, you should know that jails and prisons regularly starve people to death. This is not a rare occurrance. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

There’s a massive immigration operation in Memphis right now, but you may not have heard about it. Why? Community members face retaliation for trying to spread the word out, a lawsuit alleges.

GardaWorld is also continuing their recruitment of security guards for the site with the disclaimer, “Please be advised that this is a future-dated opening, and selected candidates will be placed in a pipeline for an anticipated mobilization later this year."

Here 8 of the 10 “turnkey” facilities ICE is looking to purchase outright from private prison firms according to multiple sources. These would be much harder to fight than the warehouses, and would be “immune” from state or county level legislation as federal enclaves.

ICE's detention capability in four slides. 1. All existing immigration detention centers in operation today 2. Plus all purchased warehouses (minus paused/halted ones) 3. Plus all facilities proposed to be reopened or acquired 4. Plus all hold rooms and check-in sites used for detainee 'staging'

Always fun to discover that DHS can’t even redact documents correctly.

We just added a new tab to the @projectsaltbox tracker focused on litigation. We’re following active cases in MD, MI, NJ, and TX tracking claims, relief sought, and each procedural move. This is a living doc, and we’ll keep updating as new filings land: datastudio.google.com/reporting/b0...

Update on this one — ICE officially added this to their forecast a couple days ago. They plan to lease workstations for 300+ personnel by the end of May, spending up to $5M on coworking space.

New at tracker.projectsaltbox.com We've added a sales analysis tab that breaks down the data behind ICE's purchase of 11 warehouses (so far) — what each site cost, where the money went, and what the operating bill looks like going forward. Click the "Sales Analysis" link at the top of the page.

As of this afternoon, ICE has purchased 11 warehouses for conversion into detention camps. 11 sales have been canceled. ICE has spent $1.04 billion on warehouse acquisitions. It will cost the government an estimated $7.57 billion to operate all 11 warehouses per year.

Maryland banned 287(g). Within days, county sheriffs were on camera explaining how they'd keep working with ICE anyway. That's why we support HB 1575 and SB 791 — the Community Trust Act. Here's our open letter to the General Assembly urging them to pass these critical bills.

Haven't checked the 287(g) page in a while, but @bremg.bsky.social found that this language was quietly added — a quick check of Internet Archive shows that this popped up on/about Sunday, Feb. 15. Our assessment: ICE is looking to find workarounds to 287(g) bans.

Another good way to keep tabs on these warehouses - check local job postings.

Maryland lawmakers moved Thursday to draw new limits around immigration detention in the state, passing emergency measures on zoning, safety standards and civil rights accountability — all in response to a $102 million federal warehouse purchase made with little public notice.

🚨Baltimore - recent developments are pointing to a potential ICE surge

BREAKING Maryland AG Brown files lawsuit to block Hagerstown ICE warehouse. “The lawsuit alleges that DHS and ICE violated NEPA by purchasing the property and moving forward with construction plans without conducting any of these required steps.”

Maintenance is done! New on the ICE Warehouse Tracker: ➡️ Price Delta Scorecard: % markup from last sale/appraisal to ICE purchase price ➡️ Site Capacity Table: New operational & bed-count tables ➡️ Finance Table: Stats for sales history, ops costs, & tax loss 🔗 tinyurl.com/ICEWarehouse...

Our team at @projectsaltbox.bsky.social analyzed DHS docs recently sent to Merrimack,NH outlining ICE’s detention reengineering initiative. Shockingly, USCIS seems to be involved in detention planning, and less shockingly, former Geo Group exec is too.

The team here at PSB have been so moved to hear from you tonight. We hope that our tools help you bring about change. We all have one life to live, and THIS moment to rise to. Learn what’s being bought, apply public pressure to companies and public officials, and find community in resistance.

A kind reader made this set of instructions on how Marylanders can sign up and provide testimony on HB 630! Comprehensive, easy to follow — thanks, Ira! To my fellow crabfolk, let us know when you’ve signed up and submitted testimony on Feb 16! If you’re wondering what you can be doing, this is it

Today in the Salt Box... 📧A Washington County, Md. resident shares her grief over the looming ICE detention warehouse 🪧 MD residents have a brief — but impactful — opportunity to make their voices heard 📬 We want to hear from you! Send us your stories at [email protected]

This is true. Can confirm

The implications of this are huge. Billions of dollars are being wasted on a detention expansion project that senior officials know will fail.

Expect this to come out by March with an award by April. Quite an expedited timeline by government procurement standards.

Huge thanks to the Hagerstown resident who shared their letter of objection with @projectsaltbox.bsky.social The filing also opens the door for other residents to submit similar objections. More to come!

Data is powerful - explore our visual tracker of the warehouses ICE is targeting ⬇️

Our team @projectsaltbox.bsky.social dug through public records to uncover the details of the Hagerstown warehouse deal, including a refinancing just months before the sale took place.

Join PSB at @redemmas.org to talk about how we are using public records — from federal procurement databases and land deeds to local plumbing and HVAC permits — to track Homeland Security’s unprecedented growth under the One Big Beautiful Bill. Sat, Feb. 28, 7:00 PM 3128 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore

Hey that’s us!

PSB has been spotted in reporting from @thebaltimorebanner.com, @baltimorebeat.bsky.social, WYPR, and @washingtonpost.com this week! Lots of people asking how you can help. Well, here are some ways! 1. Donate to local orgs 2. Use our data for good! 3. Send us tips or things you want to know!

@projectsaltbox.bsky.social is launching a monthly report on ICE and CBP spending. DC, MD, and VA companies continue to cash in… open.substack.com/pub/projects...

Excellent work by @mwriston.bsky.social on the developing story re: the Hagerstown warehouse purchased by ICE

Wicomico becomes the ninth Maryland county to sign a 287(g) agreement to allow its officers to support ICE. Plus: ICE is looking for a company to manage its 287(g) outreach program.

What's new in version 1.3? All new ways to track DHS spending in your city and beyond: 📊 Now includes solicitations and future forecasts 💲 More detailed spending info 🔗 TinyURL address for easier sharing 🌐 Public for anyone, even without a Google Account tinyurl.com/DHScontracts...

Good morning, Baltimore (and beyond)! Proud to roll out our data exploration tool. This interactive visualizer lets you see how—and where—DHS is spending its $190B+ budget.