ICE Eyes Oklahoma City for Expanded Immigration Enforcement Operations
OKLAHOMA CITY - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planning to considerably expand it’s presence in Oklahoma City as part of a nationwide effort to bolster immigration enforcement. The agency is actively seeking office space in the city to accommodate approximately 10,000 new officers and lawyers, according to recent reports and federal records.
The expansion comes after Congress approved a tripling of ICE’s budget and a $45 billion commitment to new immigrant detention centers this summer. Officials with the General Services Administration (GSA) were recently approached by ICE staff to procure 300 new offices across the country, The Washington Post reported.
Online GSA records confirm an active bid for lease proposals requesting “as-is, fully-finished and furnished office space in support of administrative operations for law enforcement” specifically in Oklahoma City. ICE is looking for a 10-year lease on a space between 11,500 and 18,500 square feet, requiring roughly 80% private office space and the remainder as cubicles. The desired location also includes a dedicated server room and soundproofed rooms for confidential discussions.
Oklahoma City is one of 19 cities targeted for expansion, primarily located in the South and Midwest. Other locations include Birmingham, Alabama; Boise, Idaho; Charleston, South Carolina; and Tampa, Florida.
The GSA bid request outlines “level 2 facility security” requirements, detailing protocols for building access, exterior markings indicating government operation, and landscaping standards.
