Immigration Detention Facilities at Maximum Capacity: ICE Official

The federal government is seeking more bed space for detained illegal immigrants.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent detains an illegal immigrant, in this undated file photograph. John Moore/Getty Images

U.S. immigration detention facilities have reached capacity at about 47,600 beds, a top-level U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official said on March 12 in a call with reporters.

The federal government is now seeking more bed space for detained illegal immigrants, added the official, who requested anonymity as a condition of the call.