The Department of Homeland Security has posted a proposed contract for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to use a private prison facility in western Minnesota to hold up to 1,600 immigrant detainees.
The contract was posted on Thursday by the General Services Administration. It says the facility is needed to “increase bed capacity to meet the administration’s interior enforcement and border compression goals.”
The former private prison in Appleton is owned by CoreCivic, which operates about 80 detention centers around the country, including almost a dozen that house ICE detainees. The company runs the Dilley Processing Center, where many Minnesota detainees have been sent after their arrests, including 5-year-old Liam Conejo-Ramos and his father.
The contract summary says the company will provide guards, meals, medical care and transportation. It will serve the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations that’s based in the agency’s St. Paul field office.
“This required geographical area is essential for ERO to accomplish its apprehension and detention, and removal mission in the most cost efficient and timely manner,” according to the contract’s description.
Appleton City Manager John Olinger said the city wasn’t aware of imminent plans for the facility. He said the company and federal government don’t need approval from the city because its use is allowed in zoning.
The Washington Post reported last August that the Appleton facility was being considered for an ICE facility as part of the agency’s plans to double the number of people detained. The former private prison was shuttered in 2010.
Neither ICE nor CoreCivic immediately responded to questions from MPR News about plans for the facility.
This is a developing story. Check back for further updates.
