Mason, Tennessee — In a small town laden with financial woes and infrastructure needs, a decision has been made that shakes local communities and stirs fiery debates. On Tuesday, officials in Mason voted to transform a former prison into an immigration detention facility operated by the private company CoreCivic Inc., despite a tumultuous public meeting where residents and activists vocally opposed the plan.
The scene was set in a fire station garage, where the five-member Board of Aldermen, along with Mayor Eddie Noeman and Vice Mayor Reynaldo Givhan, discussed reopening the shuttered West Tennessee Detention Facility as a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center. In attendance were dozens of impassioned locals who objected to hosting ICE detainees, a sentiment fueled by President Donald Trump’s push for mass deportations. They voiced concerns citing allegations of detainee mistreatment at similar facilities, which have spurred lawsuits.
Two crucial votes took center stage: the first approved a contract with CoreCivic to resume operations at the facility, closed in 2021 following President Joe Biden's directive to terminate contracts with private detention centers — a decision reversed by Trump in January. The second vote secured an agreement with ICE. However, the timeline for reopening remains undisclosed.
Noeman championed the facility's revival, heralding the job opportunities it could create for Mason, a town with a population of approximately 1,300, situated 60 kilometers northeast of Memphis. The prison was previously the town's largest employer and a significant economic driver. The mayor, an Egyptian-American immigrant and local business owner, declared the move a “win-win situation,” a sentiment that drew boos from the crowd. He insisted, “It’s nothing personal about any immigrant,” arguing that the initiative is about job creation.
Yet, the town remains divided. Board member Virginia Rivers criticized the move, expressing her discomfort with ICE's operations and its impact on immigrants and families. “Approving the contracts would make Mason complicit in the abusive treatment of immigrants,” she warned.
CoreCivic, in a statement, highlighted the potential benefits: nearly 240 new job openings at a rate of USD 26.50 per hour and substantial revenue for Mason, earmarked for schools and infrastructure. The company asserted that their services aid the government in addressing immigration challenges and improving care for vulnerable populations.
Yet, CoreCivic carries a contentious history. Allegations of mismanagement have marred its reputation, with Tennessee's corrections agency fining the company USD 44.7 million from 2022 through February 2024 for violations, including understaffing. Furthermore, the company has settled numerous lawsuits related to mistreatment, including 22 inmate deaths.
Mason, a predominantly Black community, has a history of being overlooked and dismissed, a point highlighted by local speaker Charles Watkins, who questioned the re-entry of CoreCivic under a new name. He voiced a broader frustration of communities feeling overwhelmed by external organizations offering “crumbs” while taking substantial profits back.
CoreCivic defends itself by pointing to industrywide staffing hurdles, but the uproar in Mason highlights the ongoing tension between economic necessity and ethical consideration.
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