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A new migrant detention facility on a military base near the U.S.-Mexico border is scheduled to begin operations on Sunday.The Trump administration said that, upon completion, it will be "the largest federal detention center in history."Officials say the new facility at Fort Bliss in El Paso will initially accommodate 1,000 migrants – but it could ultimately expand to hold up to 5,000.It's part of a broader push to increase deportations by roughly doubling detention capacity across the country. That effort has been bolstered by a surge of new cash from Congress, plus growing cooperation with states and the Pentagon."The Trump administration has very quickly raised detention levels to a record high," said Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a lawyer and policy analyst with the Migration Policy Institute. "Now, there are almost 60,000 people detained in ICE facilities.” But the ramp-up has faced challenges, particularly a shortage of space. "There were reports of them having to release people because they didn't have the bed space," Bush-Joseph said. The Republican policy package that passed last month included $45 billion to expand detention capacity."The One Big Beautiful Bill has provided historic funding to help us carry out this mandate, especially by securing enough detention capacity to maintain an average daily population of 100,000 illegal aliens and 80,000 new ICE beds," Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement. The administration is also looking to Republican-led states for help. "I won't name them until we actually have an agreement on it, but there are several states that have stepped up wanting to assist,” Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, told reporters last week. One of those states is Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced plans to open a second detention center at a vacant state prison. "We are calling this the Deportation Depot," DeSantis said. “The reason for this is not to just house people indefinitely. We want to process, stage, and then return illegal aliens to their home country. "It comes as another facility in the Florida Everglades, dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," is currently facing a civil rights lawsuit, alleging deplorable conditions that state officials deny. Similar concerns have been raised about other rapidly constructed facilities. "Immigrant advocates have flagged that detention at military bases could make it extremely difficult for oversight to happen, for access to legal representation to happen, and there are even concerns about basic services like medical needs and food and water," Bush-Joseph said. The Trump administration defended conditions at the new Fort Bliss Facility in a statement. The Fort Bliss facility "will offer everything a traditional ICE detention facility offers, including access to legal representation and a law library, access to visitation, recreational space, medical treatment space and nutritionally balanced meals," McLaughlin wrote. "It also provides necessary accommodations for disabilities, diet, and religious beliefs."As the administration works to expand detention capacity, a massive recruiting campaign is underway to hire 10,000 additional ICE officers. The agency is waiving age limits for new applicants and offering incentives, including signing bonuses of up to $50,000 and student loan forgiveness options. Applications have reportedly surged, though critics fear the rush to ramp up hiring could lead to lower standards.