Imperial Regional Detention Facility (MTC)
Overview
The Imperial Regional Detention Facility in Calexico, CA is operated by Management and Training Corporation (MTC), a for-profit private prison company. Located in Imperial County — the highest-scoring county in the California heatmap (score 100, 4 signal types) — it sits directly on the US-Mexico border and serves as a primary intake point for border apprehensions.
Key Details
- Location: 1572 Gateway Rd, Calexico, CA
- Operator: MTC (for-profit)
- Detainees: Adult men, women, asylum seekers, criminal detainees, undocumented migrants
- Heatmap signals: 8 IGSAs, 3 ANC contracts, 1 facility, budget distress
Deaths in Custody
- Luis Beltran Yanez Cruz, 68, from Honduras, 26 years in the US — died January 6, 2026. ICE missed the legally required deadline to release its report on the death. (KPBS)
- Xie (first name) — died after seizure at facility and transport to nearby hospital (KPBS)
Why Imperial County Scores 100
Imperial County has the highest heatmap score in California (and one of the highest nationally) because of the convergence of:
- 8 IGSAs — inter-governmental service agreements with ICE
- 3 ANC contracts — alternative-to-custody contracts
- 1 private detention facility (this one)
- Budget distress — small, poor county dependent on federal detention dollars
- Border location — primary intake for Calexico/El Centro sector
Oversight Gaps
California gave Imperial County health department authority to inspect the facility, but the department stated it would only respond to a complaint “if the facility falls within our legal authority to inspect” — suggesting limited actual oversight capacity. (CalMatters, Oct 2025)