Workforce reduced at ICE detention camp

May 31, 2011 9:40 PM
By ALLEN ESSEX/Valley Morning Star

RAYMONDVILLE — Layoffs of 120 employees of Management and Training Corp. Friday at the Immigration and Customs En-forcement detention camp will hurt Willacy County’s struggling economy, but a proposal in the works could result in an additional privately operated prison with more jobs and more revenue for the county.

The layoffs at the ICE detention center for undocumented immigrants resulted from a lower population of detainees than was predicted, local government officials said.

Utah-based MTC operates the facility that houses individuals detained for immigration law violations but not for committing other crimes.

“ICE informed us last week they have reduced their expectation of how they are going to use the facility,â€