ICE facility opens in Appleton, Minnesota to carry out 'mandate for mass deportations’

ICE detention facility to open in Appleton, Minnesota The Department of Homeland Security will be opening a new detention center in an old prison in western Minnesota. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has more. The Brief The Department of Homeland Security says a former prison in Appleton, Minnesota has been converted to operate as a 1,600-capacity ICE detention facility, operated by CoreCivic Inc. DHS says the facility, which has been vacant since 2010, will "Strengthen America’s ability to enforce its immigration laws and carry out the American people’s mandate for mass deportations." The center will be operated by CoreCivic, a company that sold the property to the U.S. government earlier this year for $495.6 million. APPLETON, Minn. (FOX 9) - Saying it hopes to "carry out the American people’s mandate for mass deportations," the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed it has begun operating at the site of a former private prison in Appleton, Minnesota . ICE facility opens in Appleton What we know: DHS says that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had previously been exploring the location, which has been vacant since 2010, as a site to expand its operations involving federal immigration enforcement. Officials with ICE have previously said they had hoped the facility would be running by mid-2027, with a potential capacity of up to 1,600 detainees. Dig deeper: The center will be operated by CoreCivic, a company that sold the property to the U.S. government earlier this year for $495.6 million. CoreCivic has said the company expects to make a $75 million return in revenue from the Appleton site annually, under its five-year contract. After reports that CoreCivic previously offered to buy the prison from the state of Minnesota for a reported $75 million, the company has since released a statement providing further details on the sale. The company says, in part, that the reported figure was never intended to be a purchase offer. "It's important to understand that the reported $75 million figure and the federal purchase price measure two different things at vastly different points in a valuation process. The earlier figure was never an appraisal or a replacement cost and was never intended to be. It was a preliminary number dating back to 2015, which was an unsuccessful attempt to engage the MN DOC in a discussion of future use of the Prairie facility," a statement reads. "The federal purchase price reflects what it would cost to build a facility of equivalent square footage and security at today’s construction prices, less depreciation." What they're saying: A statement provided to FOX 9 from a DHS spokesperson confirms that the location is now operational and in use. "DHS opened the Appleton Detention Facility on November 9 to strengthen America’s ability to enforce its immigration laws and carry out the American people’s mandate for mass deportations," the statement says. "The site gives ICE immediate capacity to detain and remove those who have no legal right to remain, protecting American communities and restoring the integrity of our borders without waiting years for new construction. "Every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe. It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and ensuring we have resources to carry out President Trump’s mission." Big picture view: Appleton is located in far western Minnesota, just about 20 miles east of the South Dakota border. The prison is located on the south side of the city off of Highway 119. The Source: Information provided by the Department of Homeland Security and previous FOX 9 reporting. Immigration Crime and Public Safety Minnesota Politics