County Fight
Contested
Torrance & Cibola NM — Counties Exit, CoreCivic Goes Direct-Federal
Torrance & Cibola, NM
FIPS 35057
Current status: Both counties moved to exit ICE contracts under HB9, but CoreCivic secured a sole-source/no-bid direct contract with ICE effective May 1, 2026, removing the counties as parties so HB9 no longer applies. Both facilities remain open.
Overview
Torrance (FIPS 35057) and Cibola (FIPS 35006) counties both host CoreCivic ICE facilities — TCDF in Estancia and Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan. Both counties moved to wind down their ICE contracts under the Immigrant Safety Act (HB9), but the facilities stayed open via a federal bypass.
Key Developments
- Feb 4, 2026: Torrance extended its ICE contract the day after the Legislature voted to ban such agreements.
- Mar 26-27, 2026: Cibola voted to begin an “orderly and lawful wind-down”; Torrance signaled a final extension with ICE moving to a direct CoreCivic contract.
- May 1, 2026: A sole-source / no-bid direct contract between ICE and CoreCivic took effect for both facilities, removing the counties as parties so HB9 no longer applies. Both remain operational.
Why It Matters
This is the cleanest example of the state-ban loophole: the counties did exactly what HB9 required (exit), but the beds never emptied because CoreCivic re-contracted directly with ICE — without competitive bidding. The fight moved out of the counties’ hands entirely. TCDF’s death and IG-removal history make its continued operation especially contested.
Sources
This research is published at The RAMM — investigative reporting on the detention pipeline.