A former prison in Marana slated to become an immigration detention center has a capacity of 513 people, according to state documents. But a procurement order released by the federal government aims to push that capacity to 775.
That’s a change that local advocates say would be devastating for detained people.
“There is no way to raise the population by that amount in an ethical way,” said immigration attorney Daniela Ugaz, who heads the legal research
team for Pima Resists I.C.E., a group created specifically to resist the detention center.
“As an immigration attorney I’ve worked a lot in these detention centers and I’ve seen that when the population surges abuse, devastation, medical neglect resulting in death and safety concerns all rise.”
On Feb. 25, the federal government shared a procurement memo for an operator to run the detention center in Marana for two years.
The building, formerly a state prison, is owned by private prison operator Management and Training Corporation, or MTC, which bought it from the state in 2025. MTC had previously operated a minimum security prison in the building until 2023.
While no final agreement has been made, the federal procurement order names MTC as the operator most likely to run the immigration detention facility: “Management & Training Corporation is the sole owner and operator of the Marana detention facility that meets ICE requirements in the timeframe.”
The capacity of the Marana detention center is 513 people, according to a 2023 press release from the governor’s office about the sale of the state prison as well as state audit documents of the facility while it was a prison.
The procurement order, however, asks for the facility in Marana to be prepared to hold 775 detainees.
In a statement to Arizona Luminaria, MTC said the company had a long track record of working with local leaders, businesses and residents to be a strong community partner.
“If an agreement is finalized, our focus will remain on restoring good local jobs, supporting the Marana economy, and operating the facility with high standards of safety, professionalism, and dignity.”
MTC did not respond to a question from Arizona Luminaria about the building’s capacity.
The town of Marana has said that as the state owned the facility, and it was already zoned for a prison, there was no local approval required for the sale to move ahead.
Vic Hathaway, communications manager with the town of Marana, told Arizona Luminaria that Marana was not a party to the agreement between the federal government and MTC, but had a longstanding working relationship with the company.
“MTC previously operated a detention facility at this location for many years, during which the Town experienced a professional and cooperative relationship. We have communicated with MTC and have been assured they are open to meeting with the Town and residents to address concerns and answer questions should the agreement move forward. At this time, details have not been finalized,” Hathaway said.
This summer, Congress approved $45 billion for immigration detention, part of an increase in spending for immigration enforcement that experts say has significantly grown America’s immigration enforcement apparatus.
“DHS/ICE needs to increase bed capacity to meet the administration’s interior enforcement and border decompression goals,” the procurement notice reads.
That comes as immigration detention nationwide saw the highest number of deaths in custody in Fiscal Year 2025 than any year since 2004.
Local groups have raised concerns about what an expansion of immigration would mean for their communities.
Of particular concern, say advocates, are the conditions inside detention.
“Despite the explosive growth in immigration detention in recent years, there are no regulations or enforceable standards regarding detention conditions, including medical treatment, mental health care, religious services, transfers, and access to telephones, free legal services, and library materials,” writes the ACLU
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This story was originally published by Arizona Luminaria and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
