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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A special meeting has been called in Mason, with a population of approximately 1,300 and located 45-minutes northeast from the city of Memphis, in Tipton County. Tonight at 7:00 pm, leaders will discuss the possibility of reopening a facility to be used for Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement (ICE).
At issue are two separate contracts, one between Mason Township and ICE and another between the municipality and longtime Tennessee prison contractor CoreCivic.
The now closed West Tennessee Detention Facility in Mason has been owned by CoreCivic since 1990. The prison was closed in 2021 after the Biden administration cancelled contracts with private prison contractors.
The Executive Order that former President Joe Biden signed in January 2021 forbid the attorney general from renewing any contracts between the Justice Department and privately-owned criminal detention facilities. The contract between the U.S. Marshals Service and CoreCivic that was responsible for the operation of Mason’s facility expired months later, at the end of September.
The roughly 500 prisoners that were being held at the prison were transferred over to the Shelby County Jail, while West Tennessee Detention Facility staff were given the chance to transfer to other prisons under CoreCivic’s supervision.
In an effort to keep the prison open after the contract ended, Tipton County Executive Jeff Huffman and representatives from CoreCivic attempted to turn the facility into what is once again being proposed in 2025 at the town level instead of county. In 2021, the county might have been enriched to the tune of $200,000 a year had they signed a contract with ICE, and with CoreCivic who would have resumed operating the facility.
Ever since the federal government said no to the plan, the prison in Mason has sat empty. Its closing had a significant impact on the Town of Mason, which collected property tax from CoreCivic. Approximately two-thirds of the Township’s sewer revenue came from the facility.
A new ICE facility could positively impact the town, providing new employment opportunities for residents while also bringing in much welcomed tax revenue. But not everyone sees it that way.
A protest has been planned to oppose the creation of an ICE detention center by Tennessee for All.
Calling the plan “a classic case of corporate overreach”, the group states that CoreCivic has prioritized its profits over the well being and safety of those incarcerated in their facilities.
“CoreCivic may bring in jobs,” says Tennessee for All. “But those jobs profit off the misery of our fellow community members.”
The group is asking for fellow community members to show up and “pack the room” at the meeting.
While CoreCivic has been quiet about any potential plans for the Mason facility, its leaders said earlier this year that they believed CoreCivic would see an increase in detainees at their prisons due to ICE activity.
Coincidentally, the company named a new warden for the West Tennessee Detention Facility in June.
At the beginning of August, Governor Bill Lee revealed his intention to call up the Tennessee National Guard to assist federal agents with the deportation of illegal aliens.
Lee asked state agencies to get ready to assist ICE as soon as President Donald Trump began his second presidential term at the beginning of the year.
A past statement from the Governor’s Office reiterated what Lee has said more than once himself, that the state stands ready to support the Trump administration’s efforts “to secure our nation’s borders and remove the most violent criminals from our streets.”
Following a request for assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the governor has authorized National Guard troops to help with clerical and administrative duties at ICE processing facilities around the state.
A spokesman for Lee has said that the governor authorized the Guardsmen under Title 32 status and that they will “assist with tasks including data entry, case management, and logistical support.”
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Sources:
https://covingtonleader.com/news/is-the-prison-in-mason-closed-for-good/
https://www.memphisflyer.com/protesters-plan-opposition-to-ice-facility-in-mason
https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/826240
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
