Big Take Podcast

Why Small Towns Are Hooked on ICE Detention

On today’s Big Take podcast: Private detention facilities are key to Trump’s immigration crackdown. Financial incentives are pushing communities to play along.

Estancia’s identity and economy are wrapped up in the detention center. And it’s always hiring.Photographer: Adam Golfer & T.J. Proechel for Bloomberg Businessweek

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By Julia Press, Sarah Holder, and David Fox

May 14, 2025 at 8:14 PM UTC

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Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking immigrants up. A lucrative ICE contract keeps a private detention facility open that local politicians say the area needs.