Summary

Linn County Correctional Center in Cedar Rapids resumed holding federal inmates in February 2025 after a one-year pause over a rate dispute. ICE detainee numbers have quadrupled since the restart, from an average of 10/month in FY2025 to 36/month in the first half of FY2026.

Key Facts

• Total capacity: 401 beds
• Federal beds set aside: ~70 beds
• Contract gap: Stopped holding federal inmates Jan. 2024 - Feb. 2025 (rate dispute)
• New agreement: Signed January 2025 with U.S. Marshals Service, but written to allow ICE to also send inmates
• ICE detainee trend:
  • FY2022: avg 5/month
  • FY2023: avg 13/month
  • FY2024: avg 8/month
  • FY2025: avg 10/month
  • FY2026 (first half): avg 36/month — a 260% increase over FY2025
• Heatmap score: 20 — driven by IGSA (2)

Why It Matters

The Linn County example shows how quickly detention populations can surge once contracts are in place. The agreement was technically signed with USMS but structured to allow ICE to piggyback — a common tactic that obscures the true scope of immigration detention in county jails. The 260% increase in just months signals a major expansion.

Sources

• Linn Co. holding more than 30 ICE detainees — KCRG, Sept. 19, 2025
• Iowa jails holding immigrant inmates for ICE see sharp rise — The Gazette
• Linn County Jail housing small number of ICE inmates — The Gazette