ICE Expands Detention Capacity by Reopening Former Prisons
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is utilizing vacant prison facilities across the United States to address an increased demand for detention space. This expansion occurs as the number of individuals in immigration detention has reached over 65,000, marking the highest level recorded.
Historical Context and Reopening Trend
Many of these facilities, which include former state and federal prisons, had been closed due to various factors such as staffing shortages, prior allegations concerning conditions, or a general reduction in the incarcerated population in previous decades. The Trump administration has focused on reopening these shuttered properties to rapidly expand ICE's detention capacity. Setareh Ghandehari, advocacy director at the Detention Watch Network, noted that while this practice is not new, its pace has accelerated under the current administration.
Concerns have been raised regarding the conditions at these sites, particularly as some had faced allegations of poor conditions prior to their closure. NPR identified at least 16 such facilities across 12 states that have reopened as ICE detention centers since January. Most of these properties are owned or operated by private prison companies, and several have a history of reported issues.
Documented Cases of Reopened Facilities
- Dilley, Texas: In Texas, the private prison company CoreCivic reopened a previously closed ICE detention center in Dilley. Immigrants at this facility reported inadequate conditions, including issues with clean water and medical care, in 2017. A lawsuit filed in 2024 alleges similar conditions.
- Ocilla, Georgia: In Georgia, ICE reopened the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla. This facility, previously an ICE detention center managed by LaSalle Corrections, had closed in 2021 following allegations of medical abuse against detained women, as documented by a bipartisan Senate investigation.
- Baldwin, Michigan: The North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, owned by the private prison company GEO Group, has undergone multiple closures and reopenings over several decades. In the late 1990s, when it operated as a juvenile detention facility, reports from the University of Michigan cited allegations of understaffing, medical neglect, and abuse. Later, as a federal prison during the COVID-19 pandemic, prisoners conducted hunger strikes, citing inadequate food and medical care. The facility closed in 2022 after the Biden administration implemented a ban on privately-owned prisons in the federal system. In June, North Lake reopened as an ICE facility.
JR Martin of No Detention Centers in Michigan stated that current reports from individuals held at North Lake echo past allegations.
Jose Contreras Cervantes, an individual detained at North Lake, reported that despite informing officials of his Leukemia and need for oral chemotherapy, he allegedly did not receive his medication consistently for nearly a month. A lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Michigan details these claims, stating that when pills were provided, inconsistencies in nausea medication often led to vomiting of the chemotherapy regimen.
Official Responses and Oversight Changes
In statements to NPR, Brian Todd, a spokesperson for CoreCivic, affirmed that their facilities are subject to multiple layers of oversight and operate in compliance with policies and standards. A spokesperson for GEO Group similarly stated that the company operates in compliance with federal detention standards and is monitored by the federal government, highlighting services such as medical care and visitation access. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, denied claims of poor conditions at North Lake, stating that all detainees have access to medical care and that comprehensive medical care is provided.
Eunice Cho, senior counsel at the ACLU's National Prison Project, noted that these allegations are not surprising, especially given that DHS implemented cuts in March to divisions responsible for overseeing conditions in ICE facilities. Cho indicated that the majority of individuals in ICE custody are held in facilities run by for-profit companies, which, according to her, can create an incentive to reduce operational costs.
GEO Group reported total revenues of nearly $2 billion during the first nine months of this year, representing approximately a 5% increase compared to the same period last year.