ICE considering buying immigrant detention facilities, other options to maintain capacity in Pa.

CLEARFIELD — In mid-July, ICE published a request for information on “turn-key detention services” for four regions across the country, including central Pennsylvania, where it already has the largest immigration detention facility in the Northeast.

Local activists worry ICE is either trying to contract directly with GEO Group — which owns and operates Moshannon Valley Processing Center — or even potentially buy the facility.

When asked about what the RFI means for Moshannon, an ICE spokesperson told Spotlight PA in an Aug. 10 email that “ICE has access to over 80,000 beds across its entire detention network in a mixture of dedicated and non-dedicated facilities. As existing detention contracts in certain locations approach expiration, ICE is working to ensure continued access to detention capacity in those areas. As part of this effort, ICE is evaluating options, including the potential purchase of turnkey detention facilities where appropriate, or other contracting solutions to support continuity of operations.”