Overview

The West Tennessee Detention Facility is a 600-bed ICE detention center in Mason, Tipton County, Tennessee, operated by CoreCivic. The facility is a former state prison that had been idle since September 2021 (closed during the Biden administration). It was reopened under a new intergovernmental services agreement (IGSA) between the City of Mason and ICE, with CoreCivic as the operator.

Key Details

• Capacity: 600 beds (initial intake capped at 500)
• Operator: CoreCivic (for-profit, headquartered in Nashville, TN)
• Contract type: IGSA between City of Mason and ICE
• Reopened: September 8, 2025
• First detainees arrived: September 2025 (initially 20-25)
• Population by end of 2025: ~450 detainees
• Jobs created: ~240 positions, starting pay $26.50/hour for detention officers
• Economic impact: ~$325,000/year in property taxes + $200,000+ annual impact fee to Town of Mason
• Approval: Mason town officials approved the agreements on August 12, 2025, over loud objections from residents and activists during a contentious public meeting

This is Tennessee’s first dedicated ICE detention facility since Trump’s second term began. It serves as the primary detention facility for the western Tennessee region, receiving detainees from the Memphis area and beyond. The reopening is significant because it provides local detention capacity for the Memphis Safe Task Force operations.

Sources

• 1st detainees have arrived at former West Tennessee prison (Action News 5, Sep 2025)
• CoreCivic Announces New Contract Award (CoreCivic, 2025)
• West Tenn. town approves CoreCivic facility after chaotic meeting (Tennessee Lookout, Aug 2025)
• CoreCivic, Town of Mason see financial boost (WKRN, 2025)
• Small Tennessee town divided over new ICE detention facility (CBS News)
• West Tennessee Detention Facility (ICE)