Willacy County Regional Detention Center Explained

Prison Name:Willacy County Regional Detention Center
Status:open
Capacity:586
Opened:2003

The Willacy County Regional Detention Center aka the Willacy Detention Center is a prison for men located in Raymondville, Willacy County, Texas, formerly operated by Management and Training Corporation (MTC) under contract with the U.S. Marshal Service.

The prison was originally built in 2003 and has an official capacity of 586 federal detainees.[1]

The federal contract with MTC ended in April 2022 due to Executive Order 14006, leading to a temporary closure of the facility. The country considered operating the facility by itself, which would have been permitted under federal restrictions.[2] In October 2022, it was announced that neighboring Hidalgo County would rent the facility in a 50-year agreement, due to overcrowding issues in Hidalgo County jail.[3]

This facility is adjacent to two other private prison sites: the Willacy County Correctional Center, formerly operated by the Management and Training Corporation for the federal government and closed in 2015, and the Willacy County State Jail, operated by the Corrections Corporation of America through August 2017, under contract with the state of Texas, and subsequently by the LaSalle Corrections corporation.[4]

References

26.4708°N -97.7588°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Willacy County Regional Detention Center. Management and Training Corporation. 30 July 2016.
  2. https://www.kurv.com/willacy-county-scrambling-to-save-federal-prison/ Willacy County Scrambling To Save Federal Prison
  3. News: Leasing agreement signed for Hidalgo County to rent out Willacy County Detention Center. 29 April 2023. KRGV. 1 November 2022.
  4. News: Tyx. Daniel Blue. Goodbye to Tent City. 30 July 2016. Texas Observer. 26 March 2015.