Former prison in Appleton opens as ICE detention facility

A former private prison in Appleton, which sat vacant since 2010, has opened as the Appleton Detention Facility for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with space for about 1,600 detainees. The Department of Homeland Security told KSTP it opened November 9 and says the site gives ICE immediate detention and removal capacity without waiting years for new construction. MPR News reports that ICE has not confirmed any detainees are held there yet, while the ACLU says attorneys have received credible reports that at least one person is. The federal government bought the site from CoreCivic for $495.6 million.

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Why it matters

The facility could hold up to 1,600 people, making it a major new site in rural western Minnesota. Detainees could come from county jails across the state or be flown in from other states. The town's economy relied on the prison before it closed in 2010.

What to watch

A vigil and rally is planned in Appleton on Saturday afternoon, November 14.

How each side sees it

The federal government saysDHS says the facility gives ICE immediate detention and removal capacity without waiting years for new construction.

Critics sayACLU Minnesota's John Boehler cites concerns about conditions after 15 years of vacancy and difficult attorney access in a remote location. Local activist Brian Wojtalewicz asks what happens to people released into the rural area.

Some residents saySome residents welcome the facility, hoping for jobs in a town whose economy relied on the prison.

Sources

Checked against 3 established news sources:

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Published Thursday, November 12, 2026. Spot an error? Email [email protected]. See our corrections log and standards.