Much of the national media has their drawers in a wad over the revelation that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shelled out $495.6 million for a vacant private prison in Appleton, Minnesota, that had been offered to—and rejected by—the state for $75 million.
A Minnesota prison was for sale at $75M. ICE paid nearly $500M for it | The Independent
ICE paid private prison firm $495M for Appleton site that had been offered to state for $75M
The New York Times reported that CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America) first approached the Minnesota Department of Corrections last year to offer the 1,600-bed facility for $75 million. The state rejected the offer because it did not have the funds to purchase Prairie Correctional Facility, located in the western part of the state. Furthermore, the state had no need for a prison of its size, nor was sufficient staff with which to staff it.
Yet, the Trump administration, as part of its multibillion-dollar spending spree, snatched up the facility, paying almost half-a-billion for it, according to the Government Accountability Office, which labeled the purchase as a hastily and poorly-planned “waste” of millions of dollars of taxpayer funds.
The purchase for that inflated price would seem to fly in the face of Elon Musk’s search for waste via his DOGE agency.
Adding insult to injury, DHS also received criticism for purchasing 10 used jets for $464 million in a no-bid contract for use as deportation flights even though most of the planes have never taken to the airways.
The purchase of the prison came even as the White House was painting the state of Minnesota as the poster child for government waste and fraud. Of course, CoreCivic was sufficiently civic-minded as to contribute $500,000 to Trump’s inauguration committee in 2024. No quid pro quo there, nosirree.
In fact, private prisons across the board were pouring money into the coffers of Trump and the Republican Party in hopes of winning the midterms as the companies anticipated record growth with the caging of anyone with brown skin under Trump’s revised deportation crusade.
Private Prison Companies Are Pouring Money Into GOP Coffers Ahead of Midterms | Truthout
Members of Congress Received Millions from Corporations Detaining Immigrants for ICE – The Appeal
Meanwhile in Louisiana and Mississippi, complaints—and riots—were the order of the day as inspections and protests rocked CoreCivic facilities in Winnfield, Richwood and Natchez.
Richwood Correctional Center has faced numerous issues, including unsanitary conditions, inadequate medical care, and violations of detainee rights. Reports indicate a history of disease-related problems and unsafe practices that compromise the health and safety of detainees.
Overview of Problems at Richwood Correctional Center
The Richwood Correctional Center has been scrutinized for various serious issues.
- Unsanitary Conditions — The facility has been reported to have areas that are not consistently clean or sanitary, compromising detainee health.
- Inadequate Medical Care — Detainees have faced barriers in accessing medical grievances, leading to unmet health needs.
- History of Disease Issues — Since 2020, the facility has had ongoing problems related to disease outbreaks, including COVID-19.
- Lack of Grievance Systems — There is no reliable system for detainees to file grievances, which affects their rights.
- Whistleblower Reports — Whistleblowers have raised alarms about unsafe conditions and practices that endanger detainees.
The Office of Inspector General found a laundry list of violations when it conducted an UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield earlier this year.
- Among Winn’s shortcomings were:
- Multiple maintenance and sanitary issues
- Perishable foods not stored at required temperatures
- Failure to comply with use-of-force standards
- Medical staff did not update required documents
- Staff did not adhere to voluntary work program standards
- Staff fid not provide detainees adequate acc1ess to legal material
- Communications between staff and detainees did not comply with standards
- Staff did not provide detainees outdoor recreation equipment
The CoreCivic facility in Natchez, Mississippi, meanwhile, has faced significant issues, including protests over poor living conditions, lack of hot water, and inadequate meals. Detainees have expressed frustration over these conditions, leading to unrest and intervention by staff.
Issues at CoreCivic’s Natchez Facility
The Natchez facility has a history of serious problems affecting detainees.
- Protests — Approximately 100 detainees protested due to the loss of hot water and hot meals.
- Living Conditions — Detainees reported spoiled and insufficient meals, contributing to dissatisfaction.
- Staff Response — During protests, staff used pepper spray to disperse detainees.
- Equipment Failures — CoreCivic cited equipment failures as reasons for service disruptions, impacting hot water and cooking.
- Historical Issues — The facility has a documented history of severe conditions, including past incidents of violence and complaints of torture.
CoreCivic’s problems have not been limited to the three facilities in Louisiana and Mississippi, however.
CoreCivic’s Long Record of Abuse and Neglect in Tennessee | Prison Legal News
CoreCivic Is Facing Hundreds of Lawsuits | City Limits | nashvillescene.com
The company paid out nearly $30 million in damages since 2022 for failing to meet Tennessee’s contractual requirements for staffing shortages in four facilities in that state.
The public outcry over conditions at the private prisons that Citizens Bank announced in July of this year that it would sever its financial relationship with both CoreCivic and GEO Group, the two largest private prison companies in the U.S.
Citizens Bank to end financial relationship with two private prison contractors | AP News
In addition to the conditions listed above, there were cases of measles reported in two of CoreCivic facilities in Texas and Arizona in February. The centers, Central Arizona Florence Correctional Center and the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, are located about 1,000 miles apart.
CoreCivic has been accused of falsifying records to disguise unsafe conditions, failing to provide lifesaving medications and being slow in transporting critically ill detainees to the hospital, according to court records, government audits, sworn declarations and interviews with attorneys and detainees.
There is one other private prison operation which has not caught the media’s attention but which is key to detainees in Louisiana.
While CoreCivic has only two facilities in Louisiana, LaSalle Corrections has 18 such installments in Louisiana, Texas and Georgia. LaSalle expanded its operations to six migrant detention facilities in Louisiana with an overall inmate capacity of more than 13,000 beds.
The COMPANY, headquartered in Ruston, has experienced numerous allegations and legal challenges:
- Negligence Allegations — A lawsuit was filed against LaSalle following the death of Erik Carlson, claiming neglect at a private prison in Louisiana.
- Wrongful Death Lawsuits — LaSalle has faced over 20 wrongful-death lawsuits since 2013, highlighting ongoing concerns about inmate safety.
- Financial Penalties — A jury ordered LaSalle to pay $42.75 million for the death of a Louisiana man, indicating severe accountability issues.
- Corporate Structure Concerns — Investigations have uncovered a complex corporate structure that obscures accountability and transparency in LaSalle’s operations
So, as the national media express their outrage over the $495 million the Trump administration paid for a facility that could’ve been had for $75—or less—bear in mind that LouisianaVoice has been riding this horse for years now in an effort to bring widespread abuses of laws and human beings to the public’s attention. Now, the issue is beginning to get the attention it deserves.
