If you have been watching the news lately, or have been on social media, I am almost certain that you have heard about the immigration detention centers that are being built around the U.S. And while there are many ongoing efforts to close these facilities, they remain open.
Tennessee has now joined states like Florida and Texas in opening a detention center of our own. In 2021, President Joe Biden issued an order demanding that the Department of Justice sever their codependency with private prisons, but when President Trump took office this year, he reversed it.
Core Civic is the highest earning private prison contractor in the US. Their reputation regarding the treatment of inmates and prison conditions is extremely concerning. Core Civic recently proposed a plan to re-open a 600 bed West Tennessee Detention Facility to house those that are deemed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be “illegal.” The same conditions that plague Core Civics inmate facilities should be expected to impact the immigration detention center once it is opened.
Mason, TN is just three hours drive west of Clarksville. When its residents discovered their city had been selected to open an immigration detention center, they were at odds. On August 12, 2025, Mason officials voted on the city’s contracts with Core Civic and ICE. In spite of highly vocal concerns from residents, both contracts were supported by Mason’s Mayor, Eddie Noeman, and were ultimately approved in the name of “economic growth” and “jumpstarting” the town’s dwindling job market.
Although Mason is a small town, it is mighty. Many residents protested, sharing their disapproval of bringing this kind of facility to their town. Mason’s community and some of their leaders understand that the city needs assistance, but Core Civic has proven that they are not there to help, they are there to profit from those who need help.
What YOU can do about Immigration Detention Centers
The new threat of for-profit ICE detention centers is ripping families apart. This development should concern ALL of us, as it is part of a slow erosion of due process and a broadening of the power of ICE to detain anyone in their crosshairs. As we deal with the realities of what Tennesseans, along with many other states are forced to endure, we can continue to support one another, build community with our immigrant neighbors, share any resources we may have available, and continue to use our voices. Do not miss any chance to protest at the polls, by voting for candidates who are outspoken against immigrant detention centers. Go vote!
Contributed by Rachel Sisco
