The Department of Homeland Security will consolidate its operations in southeast Washington, D.C., the agency announced Thursday.

Funded with $300 million through the Inflation Reduction Act, the DHS campus in St. Elizabeths will add a new headquarters for the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency, a new headquarters for the Immigration Customs Enforcement office and security checkpoints for the entire campus.

Bringing the Department of Homeland Security, CISA and ICE operations under one roof will streamline collaboration between the different departments, “which helps make us stronger and better positioned to mitigate the new and evolving threats America faces,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Thursday on the site of the new complex.

The DHS currently operates in 40 separate locations spread across the region, the majority of which are leased. With the new buildings, DHS will consolidate its operations into six locations, reducing its physical footprint by more than 1.2 million square feet. The consolidation is expected to save tens of millions of taxpayer dollars annually, Mayorkas said.

“In the end, what we want is for this to be a model for what we can do here and around the country,” said Robin Carnahan, administrator for the General Services Administration. “If we can do this in a national security setting, it can be done anywhere.”

Carnahan, who runs the agency tasked with managing the federal government’s real estate portfolio, called the project “a triple win” that will create 800 good-paying jobs, save taxpayer dollars and be healthier for the planet. The buildings will be equipped with solar panels and digitally controlled LED lighting to lower energy consumption, reduce costs and create a more resilient grid.  

When complete, more than 80% of the DHS' 14,800 employees will work in the new complex. Groundbreaking is expected next year.