By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Marana has been preparing to house a new ICE detention center since February 2026.
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On Friday, June 19, the Town of Marana released a statement addressing the use and capacity of the prison in Marana as an ICE detention center.
The release comes two days after the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a Final Notice and Public Review of the proposed detention facility.
Within the statement, DHS said that the planned renovations would increase the facility’s housing capacity from 506 detainees to up to 775.
DHS also said the facility could house an additional 600 temporary beds, which would bring the capacity to over 1,300.
After DHS’ statement sparked confusion amongst the public, the Town of Marana said it reached out to Management Training Corporation, which owns the detention center, for clarification on whether or not the center would be expanding capacity.
MTC confirmed that operations are expected to hold 500 individuals with the potential to accommodate a maximum of 775, but stated a 1,300 capacity is not a part of their proposal to DHS or ICE.
“Our conversations with MTC have always been clear that the Town does not support expanding the facility beyond the 775-person capacity,” Mayor Jon Post said. “The reference to a potential capacity of 1,300 in the DHS notice was the first time we heard of that number.”
ICE starts contracting out
On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security posted a public notice to award a sole-source contract to the Management & Training Corporation to operate the facility. It would be in the old state prison complex located on West Silverbell Road near North Sanders Road in Marana.
The notice is just another step in awarding the contract to MTC, a private company with a long history of operating correctional facilities, including the one in Marana before it closed.
MTC said the notice is not a contract offer, and no deal has been made. It is unclear when the detention center would open, how long the contract would last, or how much the federal government would pay MTC.
“As we’ve shared previously, MTC had been exploring options to reopen the former Marana correctional facility and had been in discussions with several public agencies about potential future use,” the company said in an email to 13 News. “ICE is one of those agencies.”
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MTC said if an agreement is reached, its focus would “remain on restoring good local jobs, supporting the Marana economy, and operating the facility with high standards of safety, professionalism, and dignity.”
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The possibility of a detention center in Marana has been a hot topic after Arizona agreed to sell the property to MTC for $15 million last year.
The group Pima Resists ICE has been speaking out against the proposed facility for months.
On Thursday, the group said it reached out to a Marana Town Council member and that the council member did not know about the notice.
“This is exactly what we have been warning them about since October,” PRICE said in a release. “They do not have any oversight or power when it comes to a federal detention center. Despite their comments to the contrary, this ICE facility would not be run collaboratively with the town council. The federal government will come in and take over the facility, and turn Marana and its surrounding areas into a prison town overrun by ICE agents and their violent and racist practices.”
The full notice can be read below, but here are some of the highlights.
- The facility would house around 500-700 men of various security levels.
- Female inmates are not mentioned.
- MTC would operate the facility. That includes the hiring, training, and employment of the guards and support staff. It is unclear how many people would work there.
- MTC would provide space and accommodations for around 31 ICE employees.
- There will be legal services, computer access, and libraries offered to the detainees, as well as a private area for them to meet with their attorneys.
- MTC would offer enhanced programming, including religious services, social programs, and a dedicated space for religious services.
Plan for ICE Detention Center in Marana by KOLD News 13
In November 2023, the state announced it was closing the prison that was built nearly three decades before. The state said it did it to save money, about $15 million over two years.
While the minimum security facility was built for 500 inmates, it housed only around 225 over the last few years of operation. The inmates were transferred to various prisons around the state, including the state complex on Wilmot in Tucson.
The facility was the state’s first private prison when it was built in 1994, and MTC was the company running it when it closed.
“MTC operated this facility in Marana for nearly 30 years, beginning when it opened in 1994,” MTC said in a release. “During that time, we worked closely with local leaders, public safety partners, businesses, and residents. Many of our employees lived in the community, raised families here, and built long-standing relationships. That history continues to guide how we approach any potential future operation of the facility.”
Nearly 100 people worked at the facility when it was closed.
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