US Federal Government Purchases Two California Immigration Detention Centers

The Department of Homeland Security bought the Otay Mesa and California City immigration detention centers in California for a total of about $1.5 billion—$739 million for Otay Mesa and $732.6 million for California City. The acquisition transfers ownership from private prison contractor CoreCivic to direct federal control, reducing the government’s reliance on private‑prison contracts. Officials said the move counters California’s efforts to limit or eliminate private detention facilities. Advocates and experts warn that federal ownership could limit state and local oversight of conditions, raise due‑process concerns, and accelerate deportations, while also imposing a significant cost on taxpayers. Otay Mesa, the larger site with a capacity of 1,994 detainees, will continue to be operated by CoreCivic under contract until at least 2029, but the land and facilities are now federally owned. The purchases highlight the ongoing clash between Washington’s immigration enforcement agenda and California’s stricter immigration‑detention laws.