The Dallas office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced that it was opening a new immigration detention facility in Anson, Texas. The Bluebonnet Detention Center will be managed by Management and Training Corporation (MTC) and overseen by ICE according to an intergovernmental service agreement (IGSA) between Jones County and ICE.
Jones County built this facility in 2010 to house inmates for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but the state decided not to use the facility. After Texas officials changed their minds about using it due to a significant decline in the number of inmates, the $35 million facility sat empty for almost a decade. County officials looked unsuccessfully for another paying tenant and even considered suing the state, which did not turn out to be a legally valid option.
The facility will house about 1,000 immigration detainees as they await hearings in immigration court or removal from the country. The 122,000 square-foot facility, which consists of 25 housing units, will primarily house men, but the facility also contains a separate unit to accommodate up to 72 women. The 42-acre property also provides room for expansion if needed in the future.
Furthermore, the facility contains courtrooms with video-teleconferencing technologies, private booths for asylum interviews, tablet technology for detainees to make video calls, and both indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. Bluebonnet has a 35-member medical staff, including a dentist, gynecologist, nurse practitioners, and nurses.
The new detention facility is highly lucrative for the town of Anson and Jones County. The contract with ICE guarantees payment of $106 per day for a minimum of 750 inmates, making the deal worth $145 million over five years. County officials will use part of the money to pay off the investors who funded the building the facility. Still, the county will see revenues of $500,000 each year, as well as the addition of 275 jobs in a town of 2,400 people.
Whatever your situation may be, you will need skilled legal assistance to work toward a resolution of your immigration matter. The Texas immigration attorneys of Peek Law Group know how to help you navigate through the maze of immigration forms, regulations, and policies, and get the relief that you need. Take the first step today and secure the future of your family in the U.S. Contact our office today and set up an evaluation with one of our highly skilled Texas immigration lawyers.