ICE Detention Contract Extended Again in Torrance County

LAS CRUCES – Torrance County commissioners have approved another one-month extension of the county’s detention contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the CoreCivic-run Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia.

County officials voted Tuesday unanimously to continue the agreement, which originally expired at the end of October 2025. Since that time, commissioners have relied on a series of short-term extensions to keep the detention center operating while awaiting implementation of a new state law.

The detention facility has a capacity of about 910 beds and was placed back into service for federal detainees in May of 2019 after being closed for roughly two years. The center houses individuals for federal agencies including ICE and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Federal inspection documentation indicates the facility employed approximately 124 staff members at the time of a recent review. Public contract records further show that beginning January 1, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service was billed a daily rate of $138.19 per federally held person housed at the facility.

The facility has drawn attention from oversight groups and federal inspectors in recent years over complaints involving detention conditions, medical services, and staffing levels. Officials have reported that corrective actions and monitoring efforts have been ongoing.

The decision to extend the contract comes as New Mexico prepares to implement a new state law that will ban counties from entering into detention contracts with ICE. That legislation is scheduled to take effect in May and is expected to bring significant operational changes to the Torrance County detention center in the months ahead.