Residents press Marana council on ICE detention center; Cavanaugh says it 'does not belong here'

MARANA, Ariz. — Residents opposed to a federal immigration detention center planned for the former Marana prison filled the Town Council's call to the public Tuesday, Oct. 6. Council Member Patrick Cavanaugh said the facility "does not belong here" but that the council cannot legally stop it. The council also pulled an ordinance that would spell out when property in the town's older "legacy" zones must be rezoned, and approved a $3.7 million, one-year water lease.

Council Member Teri Murphy was excused. Mayor Jon Post presided.

Detention center dominates public comment

The mayor capped the call to the public at 10 speakers and 30 minutes. Most of the speakers addressed the detention center, which speakers said will be operated by Management and Training Corp., or MTC, a Utah-based private prison company, under a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

One resident said the contract was signed Sept. 29 and that the operator has until Nov. 30 to have the facility running. Another speaker said DHS plans to open the center in under 60 days with capacity for more than 1,300 people. That speaker listed unanswered questions about whether children or pregnant women would be held, what medical care would be provided, the burden on local hospitals, the effect on the aquifer, and perimeter lighting's effect on dark skies.

Alex Randall, who said he worked at the prison for about a year as an accounting clerk, called himself the whistleblower in the case against MTC. He said the facility omitted three sexual assaults from its Prison Rape Elimination Act audit and that the Arizona attorney general's office is looking into it. He also told the council the town bore some responsibility, saying emergency vehicles "from every single jurisdiction" responded to the prison at the time.

The Intercept and LOOKOUT News reported Sept. 29 that the facility's 2023 audit stated no sexual-abuse incidents had been reported in the prior 24 months. State corrections investigative reports obtained by the outlets documented three allegations of sexual misconduct by staff during that period. The attorney general's office told the outlets it had received no criminal referrals on the matter. MTC did not respond to the outlets' requests for comment.

Another speaker disputed what she described as the town's position that it has no authority over the project. She argued the town code allows the council to deny MTC a business license over fraud, misrepresentation or conduct that menaces public health, safety or welfare.

Another resident argued the use is not listed in the town's land-use matrix. That resident said the property's Zone C designation is a legacy zone the code says is meant to be phased out, and that the town has issued no findings on why the facility qualifies.

A resident asked that Town Manager Terry Rozema release the emergency plans and agreements with local police, fire and hospitals that the facility must have in place by the end of its transition period.

A retired Minnesota corrections official said private prisons are paid per inmate and have an incentive to "stack the prisons."

Another speaker asked the council to adopt a nonbinding resolution on detainee food, health care, legal counsel and official access to the facility. The speaker said Post and Council Member Herb Kai had voiced support for such a resolution at a June 17 candidate forum.

During council reports, Cavanaugh said he shared residents' concerns. "I don't think anyone in this room truly wants this detention center in our midst," Cavanaugh said. He said a private ICE detention center "does not belong here." He added that because it operates on private property under federal authority, the council cannot legally stop it. "Limited authority does not mean that we can look away," he said.

No other council member responded to the detention center comments, and no action was taken.

Legacy-zone ordinance pulled

At the start of the meeting, a town official asked to remove item A1, a public hearing on Ordinance No. 2026.016, saying staff needed more time to adjust it before bringing it back. The council approved the change on a voice vote. No return date was set.

The ordinance would require a full rezoning, with its public process, before property in Marana's legacy Zones A through E changes use or density in a major way. According to the staff report, that includes more than doubling a property's residential units or business intensity, converting residential land to non-residential use, or switching to a different type of business under federal industry codes. The 2021 code rewrite had meant to require rezonings for most such changes, and staff wrote that it "recently became aware" the code needed clarification.

Data center rules

Two speakers addressed proposed data center amendments the Planning Commission recommended Sept. 30, which were not on Tuesday's agenda. One resident asked for more time for public review and offered a list of best practices. Another resident urged the town to require an independent assessment of low-frequency noise, ground vibration, nighttime lighting, and effects on wildlife and livestock. She estimated a proposed campus could produce about 50 million lumens per evening.

$3.7 million water lease approved

The council approved Resolution No. 2026-077, a one-year lease of 4,800 acre-feet of Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Indian priority Central Arizona Project water.

Water Director Heidi Lasham said the lease costs about $3.7 million, roughly $770 an acre-foot, and will be paid with impact fees. She said the water is firm and will arrive through the CAP canals as "wet water" to help the local aquifer. Any portion not delivered would come as long-term storage credits.

Lasham said Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District water costs about $900 to $1,000 an acre-foot. Cavanaugh called the lease "a little on the expensive side, but it's water."

Vice Mayor Roxanne Ziegler asked about renewal. Lasham said the lease is for one year only and the town hopes the nation offers water again next year. Rozema credited the water department for its deals with the irrigation district and state land.

Regional police team agreement replaced

The council approved Resolution No. 2026-076. It authorizes the mayor and police chief to sign a new five-year intergovernmental agreement on specialized law enforcement teams among Pima County agencies. It also rescinds a June 16 resolution that amended the prior agreement.

Assistant Town Attorney David L. Udall said other agencies requested changes after the June amendment. The changes include creation of a Pima Regional Critical Incident Team Board and language stating that parties are not obligated to deploy assets when called on.

Prop 207 claim

The council met in executive session for about an hour on a Proposition 207 notice of claim from TMR Investors LLC. The claim involves the Tortolita Specific Plan east of Interstate 10 and north of the Marana Road interchange. After returning, the council voted to direct staff as discussed in closed session. No details were disclosed.

Strategic Plan VI

Staff presented the framework for the town's sixth strategic plan, covering fiscal years 2028 through 2030. The plan's proposed focus areas:

Cherished Heritage, Thriving Commerce and Proactive Public Services would carry over.
Vibrant Community would become Vibrant and Safe Community.
Future Ready Infrastructure would be added.
Healthy Lifestyles would be folded into other areas.

Community engagement is set for November and December, with adoption targeted for March 2027. Kai said infrastructure is key to attracting manufacturing jobs.

Also discussed:

Rozema reported 49 single-family home permits in September, compared with 66 in the same month of 2025. He said downtown developers will receive the historic silos from Heritage Park for the downtown project.
A public meeting on the parks master plan update is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Marana Aquatics and Recreation Center.
Tourism staff reported 735,000 trips to Marana from visitors living more than 50 miles away in fiscal 2026, and about $1.9 million in bed tax revenue. A 2023 study found $156 million in direct visitor spending. Staff said the Desert Bluegrass Festival will move to the Marana Pumpkin Patch in 2027.
The consent agenda was approved. It included a Drug Enforcement Administration agreement with Marana police through Sept. 30, 2031, and an intergovernmental agreement with Marana Unified School District and the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority for property access at 13250 N. Lon Adams Road.
The council recommended approval of liquor license control transfers for three Walgreens stores in Marana.

This report was drafted by Claude Opus 5.5 from a live transcript produced by Deepgram Nova-2, then reviewed and edited by Nicholas De Leon with Claude Opus 5.5, and published at 9:41 PM MST on October 6, 2026. Read more about how this is made.