Mason, Tenasi – The small west of Mason is the city of Tenasi, only 2 square miles in size, home of about 1,000 people. But its inhabitants are now divided by what a new immigration preventive facility for the region would mean.
Shannon Whitfield has been in Mason for 13 years. Earlier this month, the city leaders of Mason voted to reopen a closed private jail, West Tennessi Detention Facility, and converted it to the US immigration and customs enforcement prevention center.
Whitfield told CBS News, “This is not a place for an ice convenience. It is not a place for profit-benefit jail.”
Mason experienced years of financial problems, including allegations of corruption and mismanagement more than a decade, which left the city with a mountain of debt and some businesses left to help it bounce back.
The West Tenasi Detention Facility has been closed for almost four years. When it opens again, it contains about 600 beds that could soon fill with snow prisoners.
Private for-Profit Gel Company, who owns IT, Chorcivic says that the gel will build more than 200 new jobs and will promote revenue for Mason and Tennessi state and through hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes and impact fees, which are, which are, who are, who are. Fee That developers pay the municipalities.
This is the reason that Mason’s Mayor Eddie Noman says that he supports the detention center. But the Town Aldwoman Virginia rivers voted against it.
River told CBS News, “I need to be clear that I am everyone for the jobs coming to the city of Mason.” “What I don’t do when I talk about misbehaving with people. All money is not good money.”
Soon after assuming office in January, President Trump In 2021, former President Joe Biden reverses a policy established by Biden It stopped justice department By renewing contracts with private prison firms. The Chorexi also owned the West Tennessy Detention Facility at that time and was forced to close it in 2021 due to Biden’s executive order.
In a statement on reopening of the jail, Kogivik stated that it was proud to continue our long -standing ties within the Mason and Tipton County community, going back nearly 35 years, “and saying that it” is not a time -time to share “facility when the convenience will turn on when the convenience will turn on.”
Corecivic is the largest private, profitable jail firm in America and the only private jail operator in Tennessee. However, the chorexi has been repeatedly found in Tennessee State audit For staffing and reduction in turnover.
A CBS news analysis The data from the Tennessi state previously released in this summer showed that the prisoners were likely to be doubled in chorical jails compared to government -run jails. Corecivic has disputed that analysis.
Rivers said, “There is no ice facility, will not help Mason to move forward and will not.” “We need other things in our community. We need homes. We need a school, day care.”
West Tennessee can potentially see other businesses, Ford -likeBring new jobs in the field in future, but it will not last for many years. Till then, Mason lives at an intersection.
“I don’t want my neighbors go to work there,” said Whitfield. “I don’t want them to create that option, get profit and get enough money. They have to give that piece of their soul.”
Skyler Henry and
Contributed to this report.
