Warren, Shaheen Press Hegseth on Diversion of Military Resources to Build Immigrant Detention Centers, Demand Pentagon End Agreement with DHS

Construction of these facilities threatens to waste billions of taxpayer dollars; does not advance U.S. national security or improve the military’s readiness
Migrant detention centers have been likened to “concentration camps for immigrants”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. —Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, launched a new investigation into the diversion of military resources as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is funnels billions of dollars through a Navy contract vehicle to build a network of migrant detention centers — some of which have been likened to “concentration camps for immigrants.” In a new letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the senators call for the Pentagon to end its agreement with DHS.
“Diverting military resources to assist the development of ICE’s new detention facilities does not advance U.S. national security — nor the quality of life for our troops — and does nothing to improve the military’s readiness for conflict,”wrote the senators.
The Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract (WEXMAC) vehicle wascreatedin 2021 as a tool to support naval expeditionary forces “in austere and remote locations across the globe.” The contractinitially supportedU.S. national security efforts in Afghanistan, Sudan, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Since September, the Pentagon hasallowedDHS and ICE to use the program to award 120 contracts to build and maintain a network of migrant detention centers. One recent award went to The GEO Group, a massive private prison company with ahistoryof unsafe and inhumane conditions.
The Pentagon has also increased the WEXMAC contract ceiling sixfold, from $10 billion to $65 billion, since DHS and ICE began using the program, raising concerns that the Department of Defense (DoD) is funneling or preparing to funnel more resources from the military toward immigration enforcement. A previousinvestigationled by Senator Warren and Representative John Garamendi (D-Calif.)foundDoD had diverted more than $2 billion of military funds—originally meant for fixing military barracks, training service members, and schools for military children—toward immigration enforcement. Pentagon officials haveadmittedthat the military won’t be reimbursed by DHS for those funds.
“We are [also] concerned about the lack of transparency and financial risks associated with this contract vehicle…[which allows] DHS to sidestep the full federal acquisition process and fast-track the construction of migrant detention centers,”said the senators.
The WEXMAC program is structured such that it allows DHS — through DoD — to award construction and maintenance contracts to a small set of contractors under one large contract. After the large contract is awarded, Pentagon officials can quickly approve work by any of these contractors without further competition, increasing risks of taxpayer waste. DHS officials are alsoreportedlyattempting to quickly award contracts and avoid federal competition rules, which are specifically designed to avoid political favoritism. The Pentagon also appears to be relying on uncertain legal authority to allow DHS to use this contracting vehicle.
“We are concerned that [WEXMAC] is only the latest example of a systemic pattern of diverting DoD resources to support DHS missions, and that this diversion threatens military readiness,”concluded the senators.
The lawmakers asked Secretary Hegseth to end DoD support for these programs, writing that DoD should not allow DHS to “bypass federal acquisition procedures and fast-track the construction of migrant detention facilities throughout the United States.” They also asked DoD to provide clarity on its agreement with DHS, detail what actions it’s taking to prevent the waste of taxpayer funds, and provide an accounting of the funds and resources spent supporting DHS for the building of detention centers by March 31, 2026.
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