Key Points: 

• A closed jail in Marana is being considered for an immigration detention center 
• Management and Training Corp. bought the jail this year and has not determined how it will be used 
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement won’t confirm any plans until finalized 

An old jail in Marana is being considered for conversion into an immigration detention center after a private prison contractor bought the facility earlier this year. 

According to emails the Arizona Capitol Times obtained from the Town of Marana in early November, the now-dormant jail purchased by Management & Training Corporation was mentioned in talks to be used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a detention center. These talks took place between May and October, according to the emails.  

Terry Rozema, the city manager of Marana, said MTC met with him earlier this year. While he wouldn’t reveal the specifics of their conversation, Rozema said both the possibility of using the facility as a regular detention center and an ICE detention center were brought to his attention. 

Since the meeting, Rozema has not received any information from MTC on their decisions regarding how the prison will be used. 

What is known as the “old jail” in Marana, was an active prison until it shut down at the end of 2023. In July of this year, the state of Arizona sold the facility to MTC for $15 million. 

When the jail was active, it provided an additional labor force for the town, Rozema said. He said he hopes it will reopen as something similar to provide additional economic assistance to Marana.

“A lot of (detainees) worked for us, helping with road maintenance and roadway cleanup and landscape and stuff like that,” Rozema said. “We would hire like 20, 25 of them a day to go out and help us keep our roadways clean, pick up trash, cut the weeds … so it was a great win for us.”

Rozema said when the jail was in use, it was for people guilty of crimes with shorter sentences, such as DUIs and minor drug offenses. 

Emily Lawhead, director of communications for MTC, said the company was in discussions with several public agencies that may need “additional bed space.”

“The facility’s capacity and configuration would ultimately depend on the specific needs and requirements of each agency,” Lawhead said. 

According to MTC’s website, the company already operates multiple ICE detention facilities throughout the Southwest. They run three in Texas, one in California and one in New Mexico. According to their website, MTC does not operate any facilities in Arizona.  

“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s enhanced enforcement operations and routine daily operations have resulted in a significant number of arrests of criminal aliens that require greater detention capacity,” an ICE spokesperson said in a written statement to the Arizona Capitol Times. 

The spokesperson said that while the organization will not confirm the intention with the Marana jail before a final decision is made, if a new facility contract is finalized, information will be available on their website. 

If the property does reopen as an immigration detention facility, Rozema said he is doubtful the detainees will be allowed to leave the area, due to the likelihood of them only being held there for a short period of time.

“If they’re here illegally, they’re not going to let them out to work on the sides of the freeways and the sides of the roadways, patching asphalt or anything like that,” Rozema said. 

Despite his concerns about the workforce, Rozema said he does not think either decision will strongly impact  Marana. Moreso, he said he anticipated a strong reaction from the town’s residents, driven by their own political views and public distaste for MTC as a company. Some, Rozema said, have already shown up at city council meetings to protest MTC’s plans. 

“Those who are greatly opposed to it, that’s where the effect will be,” Rozema said. 

In a written statement to the Arizona Capitol Times, a spokesperson from the ACLU of Arizona said the organization firmly opposes the idea of the facility being turned into an ICE detention center. 

“Arizona has seen firsthand how detention centers fuel a broader ecosystem of abuse and harm: families being separated, communities losing their stability, and fear is constantly present — especially for those who are already vulnerable,” the spokesperson said.