Former Estancia Mayor Nathan Dial expressed concern for the town’s economy if the Torrance County Detention Facility ceases operation, as newly released data shows a surge and decline in detainees during the contract period.
The six-month contract between CoreCivic and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was enacted in April and expired at the end of October. The facility, which has been facing scrutiny since at least 2022 for alleged dangerous conditions, has continued to operate since then.
The number of detainees surged in June before lapsing in the following months, according to government data provided by ICE in response to a records request by the Deportation Data Project and analyzed by The Independent. During the monthslong surge in detainees, there was a higher proportion of detainees who were removed compared to other time periods.
After finishing his tenure as the mayor of Estancia on Dec. 15, Dial told The Independent he believes the town’s economy is closely tied to the Torrance County Detention Facility. The newly sworn-in mayor, Runnel Riley, did not respond to requests for comment in time for publication.
People who are being held in the detention center count as citizens of Estancia, Dial said. Up to half the citizens of the town are being detained in the detention center, he said, and the center uses the same amount of water as the town, and in turn, the town gets ⅔ of the GRT, as long as there’s a federal contract.
“Me, Nathan Dial, wholeheartedly don’t believe in private prisons,” Dial said. “But Mayor Dial understands it’s what it is, it’s in place, it’s a lifeline for the town.”
The exact cause of the spike and decline in detainees is unclear in the data, but the increase in deportations — defined in the data as “removals” — during that time period is consistent with national trends, according to TRAC.
The growth of detentions can create a bottleneck effect where ICE is unable to keep up with the pace of its initial surge in arrests and detention, according to an article from The Journalist’s Resource.
“But it also means that people are moving through the detention system more quickly—including due to faster deportations,” the article reads.
New Mexico has faced increased scrutiny for ICE “disappearing” New Mexico residents since the beginning of the Trump administration. One man who was formerly detained at the TCDF said his family had no idea where he was for days, the ACLU said in March.
Dial denied allegations of mistreatment within the facility. He said he would have a different opinion on the necessity of the facility for Estancia if there was documented maltreatment.
A problem Dial does believe exists, however, might be the guards’ lack of distinction between detainees and prisoners, he said — and people detained by ICE are not prisoners.
“You have prison-trained guards that are not supposed to act like prison-trained guards,” Dial said. “Well, from a mental aspect, people’s minds don’t work that way. They just revert from their training. So I will admit they’re probably being treated as prisoners.”
CoreCivic said in a statement that it is continuing to serve the TCDF.
“We’re committed to providing safe, humane and respectful care for everyone entrusted to us, and we take seriously our obligation to adhere to all applicable federal detention standards,” the statement reads. “An onsite ICE Detention Standards Compliance Officer continues to ensure we follow their strict standards and policies.”
Advocacy groups have alleged that the TCDF does not follow proper standards, facing allegations of inhumane conditions and a lack of transparency.