Minnesota's Prairie Correctional Facility Sold to Federal Government
The $495.6 million sale could end $809,090 in annual property taxes for local governments and schools, county records show.
- On Wednesday, CoreCivic announced the sale of the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton, Minnesota, to the federal government for $495.6 million. The 1,600-bed facility will reopen to hold detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement .
- The federal government acquired the prison, dormant since 2010, as part of a $734 million aggregate deal including a facility in Leavenworth, Kansas. This purchase supports broader federal efforts to expand detention capacity for deportation proceedings.
- Swift County officials expressed concern over the sale's impact on local tax rolls, as federal properties are typically tax-exempt. The prison complex is responsible for $809,090 in annual gross property taxes in 2026.
- Minnesota Republican Mike Lindell praised the expansion as "one-hundred percent a good thing," while state corrections officials and activists raised concerns about federal oversight and loss of local community control.
- CoreCivic expects to begin receiving detainees in the fourth quarter of 2026, with full operational ramp complete by the second quarter of 2027. With roughly 65,000 immigrants currently in detention, the Department of Homeland Security continues acquiring private facilities to expand capacity.
22 Articles
22 Articles
Perham Focus
Minnesota's Prairie Correctional Facility sold to federal government
APPLETON, Minn. — The Prairie Correctional Facility in west central Minnesota has been sold to the federal government for nearly $500 million. The sale to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was announced Wednesday, Aug. 5, by owner CoreCivic, one day after touting the reopening of the 1,600-bed prison thanks to a new five-year contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A public affairs director for CoreCivic said it had “compl…
Lindell applauds Trump opening ICE detention center in Minnesota
EXCLUSIVE — Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Lindell has come out in strong support of the Trump administration’s decision to open a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in the blue state. ICE awarded CoreCivic a major contract to repurpose its shuttered facility in Appleton, Minnesota, known as the Prairie Correctional Facility, and reopen it by the end of the year. The detention expansion gives ICE a major…
ICE buys empty Appleton, Minn., prison for immigration detention, raising tax questions
The sale was announced one day after the private prison said the 1,600-bed facility would reopen. The small town relies on property taxes from the facility for much of its budget, however, federal prisons are typically tax exempt.
Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton sold to federal government
APPLETON — The Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton has been sold to the federal government for nearly $500 million. The sale to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was announced Wednesday by owner CoreCivic, one day after it had touted the reopening of the 1,600-bed prison thanks to a new five-year contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A public affairs director for CoreCivic emailed a statement to the West Central Tr…
Homeland Security buys former prison in west-central Minnesota for $500 million
CoreCivic has sold the former Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton to the U.S. government for nearly $496 million, with the facility expected to house ICE detainees while CoreCivic continues managing operations.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 55% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
