Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced plans to transform a recently shuttered state correctional facility in California City, Kern County, into the state’s largest migrant detention center. The federal agency has entered into an agreement with private prison contractor CoreCivic to repurpose the sprawling 2,560-bed facility.
The move significantly expands California’s capacity for housing migrants under federal custody, increasing it by an estimated 36%. The facility, which previously served as a state prison, ceased operations under state lease in March 2024 as part of California’s broader effort to phase out the use of private correctional facilities.
Agreement Details and Initial Steps
According to Ryan Gustin, CoreCivic’s senior director of public affairs, preliminary activation activities have commenced at the California City site under a letter agreement with ICE. This initial step paves the way for the full operational conversion.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the federal government formalized the arrangement by signing a six-month contract with CoreCivic, supported by $10 million in initial funding. This contract signals a rapid deployment strategy for the facility.
Context: State Policy vs. Federal Action
The conversion comes shortly after California ended its lease of the facility in March 2024, aligning with a state legislative push to move away from contracting with private prison companies for state correctional needs. The federal government’s decision to immediately lease the same facility for immigration detention purposes highlights a divergence in policy approaches between state and federal authorities regarding private correctional operators.
Capacity Expansion and National Goals
The addition of the 2,560 beds at the California City facility represents a substantial increase in immigration detention capacity within the state. This expansion aligns with a national goal articulated during the Trump administration to significantly increase ICE detention capacity nationwide, aiming to raise the total number of available beds from approximately 41,500 to 100,000.
Expedited Contracting Process
To facilitate this rapid expansion, ICE has utilized expedited, no-bid contracts with private contractors like CoreCivic. This approach bypasses standard competitive bidding procedures. The justification cited for this departure from typical procurement processes is a claimed “compelling urgency” to secure detention capacity.
CoreCivic CEO Damon Hininger has publicly commented on the business environment, noting high demand for the company’s services, a sentiment underscored by agreements like the one in California City.
Existing Private Detention Footprint
The federal government’s reliance on private contractors for immigration detention is not new in California. A report from the California Department of Justice indicated the presence of six active federal immigration processing centers within the state, all of which are privately managed. This includes existing facilities located in Kern County, operated by another major private corrections firm, GEO Group.
The conversion of the California City facility into the state’s largest migrant detention center marks a significant development in federal immigration enforcement strategy and its reliance on private sector partnerships for expanding capacity.
