Washington, June 12 (RHC)-- The Donald Trump administration has announced that it is transferring about 1,600 immigrants held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody to federal prisons, in the first large-scale transfer of this kind.

ICE told the Reuters news service it’s moving the prisoners to five federal penitentiaries, with the majority headed to a prison complex in Victorville, California.  Most of those being transferred have no criminal records and are awaiting civil immigration court proceedings.

The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project reports up to 120 people being held at SeaTac prison in Seattle are asylum seekers who are separated from their families.