Grijalva, Stanton, Ansari Demand Transparency on Potential Immigration Detention Facility in Marana
TUCSON, AZ – U.S. Representative Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), joined by Representatives Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons demanding answers regarding reports that the closed Arizona state prison facility in Marana, Arizona, may be converted into an immigration detention center operated under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The lawmakers have previously written to DHS officials about a separate proposed facility in Surprise, Arizona that is also shrouded in secrecy.
According to public reporting, the 500-bed facility in Marana was sold in July 2025 by the Arizona Department of Administration to Management and Training Corporation (MTC), a for-profit company that operates detention facilities under contract with DHS and ICE nationwide. Since the sale, multiple news outlets have reported that the facility is under consideration for use as an ICE detention center. To date, DHS and ICE have not publicly confirmed whether a contract has been executed or finalized for this site.
“Across the country, we are seeing detention centers rapidly spring up with little community input or oversight as part of the Trump administration’s cruel mass-deportation agenda — even as serious concerns persist about deaths in custody and inhumane conditions,” said Rep. Grijalva. “To meet its arbitrary deportation quotas, the Trump administration is sweeping vulnerable people into detention who should never be there – including Julia Benitez, a 79-year-old abuela who suffers from dementia. Local residents are being left in the dark and do not have basic information about the scope, timeline, or operational impact of this proposed facility. That lack of transparency is unacceptable and dangerous.”
"The federal government has a responsibility to work with the communities it operates in — not around them. The planned detention facility in Surprise and the potential conversion of the Marana facility into a private detention center have generated real and legitimate concern from residents and local leaders across the political spectrum. Unfortunately, this is exactly what we've come to expect from Trump's DHS. They're perfectly willing to throw neighborhoods into chaos to carry out their mass deportation agenda," said Rep. Stanton. "My Democratic colleagues and I will keep standing up for Arizonans and demanding answers."
“Arizonans have repeatedly made it clear that they do not want ICE in their neighborhoods. Turning a state prison in Marana into an immigration center would be a stain on our state,” said Representative Ansari. “This is just one more step in their cruel agenda to dehumanize immigrants. I strongly oppose any expansion of ICE in our state.”
In their letter, the lawmakers request written responses within fifteen days addressing whether DHS or ICE has entered, or is considering entering, a contract or other agreement for use of the Marana facility. They seek detailed information regarding procurement authority, detention capacity, projected population, staffing levels , medical and mental health services, language access, legal visitation access, transportation logistics, and compliance with local land-use requirements.
The letter also asks whether DHS conducted or plans to conduct environmental and infrastructure assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including any environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, and requests documentation related to structural safety, utilities, traffic impacts, emergency response capacity, and effects on local healthcare systems.
The letter comes one day after Rep. Grijalva visited federal detention centers in Eloy and Florence, where she sat down with Julia Benitez, a 79-year-old Cuban asylum seeker who has been in detention for nine months after her humanitarian parole was denied.
The full letter to DHS can be read here and is also copied below.
Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:
We write as members of the Arizona congressional delegation regarding reports that the former Arizona State Prison facility in Marana, Arizona, may be converted into an immigration detention center operated under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to public reporting, the 500-bed former state prison facility in Marana was sold in July 2025 by the Arizona Department of Administration to Management and Training Corporation (MTC) for approximately $15 million. MTC is a for-profit, privately held company that operates detention facilities under contract with DHS and ICE nationwide. Since the sale, multiple news outlets have reported that the facility is under consideration for use as an ICE detention center. To date, DHS and ICE have not publicly confirmed whether a contract has been executed or finalized for this site, leaving the community without basic clarity about federal plans.
The potential repurposing of this facility has generated widespread and sustained opposition from residents and local leadership. Hundreds of community members have attended public forums demanding transparency and expressing concern about detention expansion in their community. On February 3, 2026, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 4-to-1 to pass a formal resolution opposing the proposed detention center. Local officials have repeatedly stated that they were not meaningfully consulted in advance of these discussions.
The scale of public concern reflects a broader frustration with the lack of transparency surrounding DHS’s intentions. Decisions of this magnitude, particularly those involving private detention contractors and the potential expansion of immigration detention capacity, should not unfold without clear communication, coordination, and accountability.
Given the substantial community impact and the absence of clear federal information, we request written responses to the following questions.
Authority, Contract Status, and Procurement
1. Confirm whether DHS or ICE has entered into, or is in the process of entering into, a contract, intergovernmental service agreement, or other arrangement with MTC or any other entity for the use of the Marana facility.
2. If discussions are ongoing but not finalized, describe the current stage of consideration, including anticipated timelines for decision-making.
3. Identify the specific statutory and regulatory authority DHS relied upon to purchase this property, including any delegations, determinations, or waivers used for this transaction.
4. Provide the anticipated detention capacity of the facility, the projected average daily population, and the categories of individuals expected to be held there.
5. Describe the procurement process used or contemplated for this site, including whether full and open competition was conducted, how many contract bids you received, and whether any emergency authorities, sole-source justifications, or waivers were invoked.
Notice, Coordination, and Community Engagement
6. Describe whether DHS or ICE provided advance notice to the Town of Marana, Pima County, or other local jurisdictions prior to initiating discussions regarding the use of this facility for immigration detention. If not, explain why such coordination did not occur.
7. Identify the DHS or ICE officials responsible for community and intergovernmental coordination related to this site.
8. Explain what steps DHS has taken, or plans to take, to engage with community members, local law enforcement, fire and emergency services, healthcare providers, and elected officials prior to initiating operations.
9. Describe how this contract complies with any and all local land-use restrictions.
Operational Footprint and Local Impacts
10. Provide the anticipated operational start date and describe the staffing model for the facility, including the number of federal personnel and contractors expected to work onsite.
11. Describe if the contract includes local or economic hiring provisions, project labor agreement, labor management partnership, or similar agreement to ensure fair wages.
12. Describe how DHS plans to ensure adequate medical care, mental health services, language access, legal visitation access, and transportation logistics associated with operating a detention facility at this location.
13. Identify whether DHS has conducted or plans to conduct any assessment of the impact on local infrastructure, traffic, emergency response capacity, healthcare systems, and public safety resources.
Environmental and Compliance Review
14. Identify the National Environmental Policy Act pathway DHS would rely upon for this project, including whether DHS has prepared or intends to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, or whether a categorical exclusion would be used. If relying on a categorical exclusion, identify the specific category invoked and provide supporting documentation demonstrating its applicability to the proposed federal use of this facility.
15. Provide any environmental, structural, safety, facility condition, infrastructure capacity, or operational impact assessments conducted in connection with potential federal use of this site, including any review of traffic, emergency response capacity, utilities, water usage, or wastewater impacts.
Document Production Request
In addition to written responses, we request that DHS and ICE produce the following documents no later than fifteen (15) days from the date of this letter:
Any contracts, draft contracts, memoranda of understanding, intergovernmental service agreements, or procurement documents related to the Marana facility;
All communications between DHS/ICE and MTC regarding the potential use of this site;
All internal DHS/ICE communications, memoranda, briefing materials, or decision documents related to the consideration or approval of this facility;
Any environmental, safety, structural, or operational assessments conducted in connection with this site;
Any communications between DHS/ICE and the Town of Marana, Pima County, or the State of Arizona regarding the facility.
The federal government has authority to carry out immigration enforcement operations. However, that authority does not override the responsibility to act transparently, responsibly, and in coordination with the communities directly affected by federal actions.
At present, Arizona residents are being asked to accept the potential expansion of a private immigration detention facility without basic information about scope, timeline, or operational impact. That lack of transparency is unacceptable.
We request a written response and production of the requested documents no later than fifteen (15) days from the date of this letter. We also request a briefing for members of the Arizona congressional delegation and relevant local officials as soon as possible.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We look forward to your response.
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