FORT BLISS, TEXAS — The largest federal migrant detention center in American history has officially opened, marking a major shift in U.S. border enforcement policy under the Trump administration.

The facility, nicknamed the “Lone Star Lockup,” was built under a $1.2 billion Defense Department contract and launched with an initial capacity of 1,000 beds. Plans are already in place to expand the site to house up to 5,000 detainees by 2027.

Officials say the center will serve as both a holding site for migrants and a processing hub for deportations, aiming to relieve overcrowding at smaller detention facilities along the southern border.

Supporters argue the project strengthens national security and ensures a more efficient immigration system. Critics, however, warn that the massive scale of the facility signals a harsher turn in U.S. immigration policy, raising concerns about human rights, oversight, and conditions inside.

The opening underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to stricter enforcement, as the White House continues to emphasize border security as a top priority of the president’s second term.