KQED's Forum Trump Administration Scrambles to Expand Immigration Detention Centers
Sep 8, 2026
Tyche Hendricks, KQED’s senior immigration editor; Doug MacMillan, a Washington Post corporate accountability reporter; and Sara DiNatale, a San Francisco Chronicle politics reporter, examine the rapid expansion of immigration detention. They discuss unsanitary airport holding rooms, a proposed Gilroy facility, private prison profits, remote detention’s impact on legal aid, and California’s efforts to increase oversight as billions flow into the system.
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Civil Detention Is Expanding Through Mandatory Rules
- Immigration detention is civil custody, not punishment, but mandatory-detention rules have expanded sharply under the current administration.
- Arrests and detention are nearing records, with California ranking behind Florida and Texas in arrests.
San Francisco Hold Rooms Became Makeshift Jails
- San Francisco detainees were held for days in short-term rooms designed for roughly 12 hours.
- They lacked bedding, adequate hygiene, medical screening, and proper food until a court order forced ICE to change course.
SFO Used An Airport Lounge As Detention
- Customs held green-card holders in an SFO transit lounge after flagging old arrests during secondary inspection.
- Some slept upright for up to eight days before transfer to California City, despite a nominal 72-hour limit.