Open-Source Investigation

The U.S. is building a mass detention system — county by county, contract by contract

Since January 2025, ICE has signed hundreds of new agreements with local jails, purchased warehouses for conversion into mega-centers, and expanded 287(g) programs from a handful of agencies to thousands. This site tracks it all — 17735 signals across 2019 counties — so communities can see what's coming before it arrives.

Start here I'm fighting a proposal Look up my county
1,988
Counties with signals
Federal contracts, 287(g), real estate traces
134
Community fights tracked
Blocked, contested, or won by residents
80%
Non-criminal detainees
Typical rate across documented facilities
$1.07B
Warehouse spending
11 warehouse purchases under DHS review

Active County Fights

View all 134 fights →

Built for the people who need it

For Activists
Your county is being pitched. Here's how to fight back.
A 5-step action guide built from 13 real community fights. Includes FOIA request templates, the consultant playbook they'll use against you, and the counter-tactics that actually work.
Start the action guide →
For Journalists
Sourced data for the stories that need telling.
Contractor profiles with contract values. Revolving door network maps. Conflict-of-interest matrix. Death and conditions records. Every claim sourced to government filings, court records, or news reporting.
Explore the network →
For Researchers
County-level data on the detention expansion.
2019 counties scored by signal convergence. IGSA contracts, 287(g) agreements, USAspending data, budget distress indicators. Open data, CC-BY-SA licensed, with full methodology documentation.
Browse county data →

Tools

Interactive resources for investigation and action.

Heat Map
2019 counties scored by signal convergence. Interactive, zoomable, with facility overlay.
Playbook & Counter-Playbook
10 consultant tactics and 9 community counter-tactics, sourced from real fights.
FOIA Generator
Ready-to-send public records requests targeting detention pipeline activity in your county.
Facilities Directory
1296 IGSA facilities with operators, contract types, and conditions records.
Network Visualization
Revolving door between government and the private detention industry.
Coverage Gaps
Where investigation is most needed. Adopt a county and help fill the gaps.

Hottest Counties

View all →
174 Broward County, FL 8 signals
Broward County, FL shows 4 existing IGSA facilities, 5 287(g) agreements, 1 ANC contract, commission activity, detention consultant job posting, and budget distress.
168 Miami-Dade County, FL 9 signals
Miami-Dade County, FL shows 12 existing IGSA facilities, 3 287(g) agreements, 3 ANC contracts, communications discipline pattern, 9 real estate traces, and active community resistance.
155 San Diego County, CA 7 signals
San Diego County, CA shows 16 existing IGSA facilities, 2 ANC contracts, commission activity, and active community resistance.
154 Harris County, TX 7 signals
Harris County, TX shows 5 existing IGSA facilities, 1 ANC contract, commission activity, 2 real estate traces, and active community resistance.
154 Pinal County, AZ 7 signals
Pinal County, AZ shows 9 existing IGSA facilities, 2 287(g) agreements, 3 ANC contracts, 1 real estate trace, and active community resistance.
146 Bexar County, TX 7 signals
Bexar County, TX shows 5 existing IGSA facilities, 5 287(g) agreements, 1 ANC contract, 2 real estate traces, and active community resistance.
146 El Paso County, TX 7 signals
El Paso County, TX shows 13 existing IGSA facilities, 1 ANC contract, commission activity, and active community resistance.
146 Webb County, TX 7 signals
Webb County, TX shows 6 existing IGSA facilities, 1 287(g) agreement, 1 ANC contract, detention consultant job posting, and budget distress.

Key Players

View all →
From The RAMM

The investigation behind the data

This site is the data layer for an ongoing investigation by The RAMM. The reporting traces the detention pipeline from consultant pitch decks to commission votes to warehouse purchases — and names the people profiting.

Read "The Detention Architecture" →

Help build the early warning system

Most counties have only automated signals. Local knowledge makes the difference. Submit tips, investigate your county, or contribute data directly.

How to contribute → FOIA Generator View on GitHub