Immigration Centers of America (ICA)
Immigration Centers of America is a smaller private detention company that operates ICE immigration detention facilities through Intergovernmental Service Agreements (IGSAs) with local municipalities. Unlike GEO Group and CoreCivic, ICA is a niche operator focused specifically on immigration detention.
Farmville Detention Center
ICA’s primary known facility is the Farmville Detention Center in Farmville, Virginia:
- Location: 508 Waterworks Road, Farmville, VA 23901
- Opened: 2010, under agreement between ICE, the Town of Farmville, and ICA
- Capacity: 732 beds
- Structure: ICE contract runs through the Town of Farmville (IGSA model)
- Accreditation: American Correctional Association (ACA) and National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC)
Controversies
The Farmville Detention Center has been “notorious for its brutality, abuse, and neglect” since it opened, according to advocacy organizations:
- Use of solitary confinement
- Retaliation by staff against detainees
- Inadequate medical care
- COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 led to widespread calls for closure
- The Free Them All VA (FTA-VA) Coalition organized in 2020 to demand the center’s closure
Folkston — Correction
Note: The Folkston ICE Processing Center in Charlton County, Georgia was previously attributed to ICA but is actually operated by GEO Group. See folkston-ipc-charlton-ga. ICA’s confirmed operations are limited to the Farmville Detention Center in Virginia.
Current Status
Under the Trump administration’s 2025-2026 detention expansion, the Farmville facility’s population has likely increased from its Biden-era lows. ICA remains a niche operator compared to GEO Group and CoreCivic.