DHS Opens 1,600-Bed ICE Detention Facility in Appleton, Minnesota, on November 9

DHS opened the 1,600-bed Appleton Detention Facility in western Minnesota for ICE detention on November 9, turning a former prison into an immigration detention center. Local observers say the first detainees have arrived. The site is planned to hold adult men and women, and CoreCivic will operate it for the federal government.

Detainees and loved ones can call the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota’s detention line Monday through Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. Appleton residents can attend an interfaith vigil and rally on November 14 at the Appleton Civic Center grounds. The vigil is scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by the rally at 3 p.m.

Misty Butler of the Prairie Alliance for Human Dignity said observers saw buses arrive and security increase. The ACLU confirmed at least one person was being held. The number of people at the facility has not been publicly identified.

DHS described the purpose of opening the site this way:

“The site gives ICE immediate capacity to detain and remove those who have no legal right to remain, protecting American communities and restoring the integrity of our borders without waiting years for new construction.”

CoreCivic will run the former prison for ICE

The center was formerly the Prairie Correctional Facility. DHS bought the property from CoreCivic in August for $496 million, and the company retained the operating role. Homeland Security is paying CoreCivic $536 million over five years to run the site.

The planned population is adults only. CoreCivic said detainees would come largely from Minnesota and neighboring areas served by ICE’s Minneapolis office. The expected average stay is 35 to 65 days.

The facility is expected to be fully operational by mid-2027. A performance work statement described a phased intake plan: 150 detainees in the first week, followed by increases of 250 each week. Until the center opened, people detained by immigration authorities in the state were held in local jails or sent to facilities outside the state.

The purchase price drew local scrutiny. Swift County records put the property’s assessed value at $75 million, and CoreCivic offered to sell it to the state for $75 million in May 2025. The state declined. CoreCivic said the federal price reflected independent appraisals that considered replacement costs, depreciation, land value and facility renovations.

The company expects more than 500 jobs from the center and has said it expects $75 million in annual revenue from the Appleton operation. Some residents have also raised concerns about property-tax revenue. Federal properties are exempt from local property taxes.

Legal advocates are seeking access to the facility

Tracy Roy, legal director of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, said the organization is expanding its detention team and trying to gain access. The center wants detainees to receive legal information, learn about their rights and get advice on possible forms of relief.

Roy said detainees or relatives can contact the organization’s detention line during its Monday-through-Thursday hours. The ICE detention locator is another option for finding someone when a caller has the person’s A number.

“Our top priority is to make sure that these folks have access to accurate legal information, information about their rights and legal advice about any forms of relief that may be available to us”

The center is also working with community and legal-aid partners to expand support. Roy said it plans to be on the ground at the facility. Access has not yet been secured.

Appleton groups plan a vigil, rally and oversight push

The Prairie Alliance for Human Dignity says detainees deserve to be treated with dignity and is calling for a public oversight board. Alliance members and others plan to ask the Appleton City Council and Swift County Board to create one.

Clergy from Appleton and nearby communities will lead the interfaith vigil at the civic center grounds at 2 p.m. Saturday, November 14. Organizers have asked participants not to bring signs to the prayer vigil; signs are welcome at the 3 p.m. rally at the same location. A press conference is also planned for Saturday at the public cemetery near the detention center.

John Beeler, policy counsel for ACLU Minnesota, said he is concerned about oversight at a federally owned facility run by a private company. He said congressional representatives and attorneys are legally allowed to visit the site.

The Alliance said: “We believe every person in Appleton deserves to know what happens inside the detention facility in our community. What happens in our community affects all of us, inside and outside of the detention facility walls.”

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.