Overview

The Farmville Detention Center in Prince Edward County, Virginia is a 732-bed ICE detention facility that was acquired by CoreCivic on July 1, 2025 for $71.4 million from Immigration Centers of America (ICA). The IGSA runs through Prince Edward County and expires March 2029. CoreCivic projects $40M/year incremental revenue.

As of late 2025, population was approximately 712 — near capacity, more than doubling from Biden-era lows. For FY2026, Farmville’s average daily population was 685, with 469 (about 68%) having no prior criminal convictions (VPM, May 2026). The acquisition price was confirmed at $67.0 million in CoreCivic’s definitive agreement (it had been reported earlier as $71.4M).

2026 Update — Closure Campaign Broadens

As of January 2026, 40 local and national organizations had endorsed the call to close Farmville, including the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), Freedom for Immigrants, Detention Watch Network, and the Virginia Abolitionist Response Network. NIJC delivered testimony before the Farmville Town Council calling on it to end the “deadly ICE detention agreement.” Despite the broadened campaign and Virginia’s Democratic political turn, the county-level IGSA (Prince Edward County, expires March 2029) and CoreCivic’s ownership insulate the facility from state-level policy reversals.

The Acquisition

CoreCivic’s purchase of the Farmville facility from ICA represents a structural lock-in: corporate-grade detention infrastructure secured through at least 2029, regardless of state-level political changes. Governor Spanberger can rescind state 287(g) agreements but cannot terminate a county-level IGSA or force CoreCivic to close a facility it owns.

Conditions History

The facility has been described as “notorious for brutality, abuse, and neglect” by advocacy organizations:

• Solitary confinement and staff retaliation
• Inadequate medical care
• COVID-19 catastrophe (2020): Nearly 97% of detainees infected after transfers from Florida and Arizona. Lawsuit settled 2022.
• The Free Them All VA (FTA-VA) Coalition organized in 2020 demanding closure
• Legal Aid Justice Center campaigns for shutdown

Political Context

Virginia experienced the fastest 287(g) reversal in the country:

• Feb 2025: Governor Youngkin signs EO 47 mandating full ICE cooperation
• Jan 2026: Governor Spanberger rescinds EO 47 on her first day
• Mar 2026: General Assembly passes HB1441/SB783 restricting 287(g) to judicial warrants only

But the Farmville facility operates under a county IGSA, not a state agreement — state-level restrictions don’t reach it.

Sources

• ICE: Farmville Detention Center
• Axios Richmond: Virginia ICE facilities near capacity
• WRIC: Central Virginia ICE detention over capacity
• Legal Aid Justice Center: Shut down Farmville
• NIJC: Testimony before Farmville Town Council — end deadly ICE detention agreement
• VPM: Immigration enforcement in Virginia has risen sharply (May 1, 2026)
• CoreCivic IR: Definitive agreement to acquire Farmville ($67M)