ICE Contracts CoreCivic to Reopen Minnesota Detention Center
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contracted CoreCivic to reopen the Prairie Correctional Facility in Minnesota to expand detention capacity for the Trump administration's deportation agenda.
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has signed a five-year contract with CoreCivic to reopen the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Minnesota. The 1,600-bed facility, which has been idle since 2010, will serve as the first dedicated immigrant detention center in the state. It is expected to begin receiving detainees in the fourth quarter of 2026 and reach full capacity by the second quarter of 2027.
The agreement is designed to support President Donald Trump's mass deportation goals and increase interior enforcement capacity. CoreCivic anticipates the contract will generate approximately $75 million in annual revenue and create about 450 jobs. In a related real estate move, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security purchased the Prairie Correctional Facility and the Midwest Regional Reception Center in Leavenworth, Kansas, from CoreCivic. While the federal government now owns the properties, CoreCivic will continue to operate both facilities under management contracts.
Reaction to the reopening is sharply divided. U.S. Representative Michelle Fischbach supported the move, citing the existing infrastructure and economic benefits. Conversely, AFSCME Council 5, Indivisible Twin Cities, and Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell condemned the decision. Critics labeled the site a concentration camp and argued that for-profit detention separates individuals from legal counsel and family. The controversy follows Operation Metro Surge, during which ICE agents fatally shot two people in Minneapolis.
