ANSON, Texas — This past summer, Jones County contracted with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Management and Training Corporation to open the Bluebonnet Detention Center.
The building was originally built in 2010 by the state of Texas to house inmates for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, but never opened its doors.
Now, MTC and ICE have revamped the building into a detention facility that will house 1,000 ICE detainees, mostly adult males and up to 72 women.
"These people are not here for a criminal sentence…they're here for one reason only, that's go get them through the immigration court process, and effect a removal order if a judge orders them removed,” ICE field office director, Marc Moore said.
The intake process starts in the detention and medical unit and takes up to 12 hours. Each cell holds up to 20 individuals.
There are 35 medical personnel on staff.
The facility includes several video-teleconferencing immigration courtrooms, private booths for asylum interviews and a law library.
Dormitories have tablet technology access, phone stations, and satellite feeding. Female detainees have their own dormitory and recreational space.
"Our objective while they're detained is to treat them with dignity and with respect and to provide them full measure of due process that their case requires,” Moore said.
The center will be open its doors this week, however, it’s still unclear what day detainees will be arriving.