Prison near Baldwin to open as ICE detention center

WEBBER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The closed private prison near Baldwin will reopen as a federal immigration processing center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the prison company announced Thursday.

The GEO Group, based in Florida, said the prison would be immediately activated as a processing center.

It said the initial contract “is expected to transition into a long-term contract within months,” that could generate $70 million in revenue in its first year, according to a press release. 

“We expect that our company-owned North Lake Facility in Michigan will play an important role in helping meet the need for increased federal immigration processing center bedspace,” GEO Executive Chairman George C. Zoley said in a statement. “We are proud of our 40-year public-private partnership with ICE, and we stand ready to continue to help the federal government meet its expanded immigration enforcement priorities.”

The 1,800-bed private prison closed in 2022 after President Joe Biden issued an executive order to end the federal government’s use of private prisons. When it was open, it was Lake County’s biggest employer, with about 300 employees. Even closed, it is the county’s biggest taxpayer.

The American Civil Liberties Union has said it opposes plans to house ICE detainees, saying it would be a bad fit for the community. However, local leaders told News 8 they welcomed the prospect. Lake County is among the poorest counties in the state.