Kemmerer Rejects Proposal for Private Immigration Jail as Private Prisons Eye Southwestern Wyoming Again

The private prison industry has once again turned its attention to southwestern Wyoming, pitching a proposal for a for-profit immigration detention facility, Oil City News reports.

However, the town of Kemmerer has rejected the idea, with city council members and local residents expressing little interest in moving forward.

Last week, Sabot Consulting, a company specializing in private prison projects, presented a plan to the Kemmerer City Council for the construction of a 900-bed immigration detention facility. The proposal included funding the project through a city-issued bond, with the city owning the facility and a contract with Akima, an Alaskan Native corporation, for staffing. The plan was pitched as a way to provide high-paying jobs and revenue for the community.

However, the proposal received a negative reception from the public, and Kemmerer’s city council members indicated they have no plans to pursue it further. Mayor Robert Bowen described the community’s reaction as “overwhelmingly ‘no,'” and Councilman Bill Ellis confirmed the city’s lack of interest.

“We said ‘We can’t do it, and we don’t want it,'” said Ellis.

Despite the rejection, the idea of a private immigration detention facility near Salt Lake City continues to attract attention. Sabot Consulting was reportedly also reaching out to other communities in the region. Notably, nearby Uinta County, home to the town of Evanston, has recently received inquiries about similar proposals. However, Uinta County officials, having previously faced years of divisive debates over such facilities, have also decided not to pursue the idea at this time.

Kemmerer’s rejection comes amid ongoing economic changes in the region, particularly with the development of projects like a nuclear power plant backed by tech billionaire Bill Gates. Council members expressed concern that hosting a large immigration detention center could undermine the town’s growing reputation as an energy and tech hub.

Though many residents of Lincoln County, where Kemmerer is located, supported former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, including mass deportation, the community has determined that a private prison project does not align with its current economic and social priorities.

The private prison proposal has also raised concerns about the long-term risks involved, with city officials noting that they would be responsible for ensuring the facility’s financial sustainability, particularly if federal contracts were to change or end.

This rejection adds to a history of resistance in the region to private immigration detention facilities. In the past, similar proposals in Evanston have been met with significant opposition, resulting in multiple companies abandoning their plans. Local officials expressed skepticism about the reliability of such projects, given the experiences of other communities that invested in private prisons only for companies to eventually withdraw.