A Second Chance For Prisonville
Bloomberg Businessweek|July 2, 2018

An ailing Texas town cheers the reopening of a privately run detention facility for immigrants.

Kartikay Mehrotra
A Second Chance For Prisonville

Joel Hernandez was promoted to sergeant by private prison operator Management & Training Corp. days before a riot broke out in 2015 at the Willacy County Correctional Center in South Texas where he worked. He escaped with his life—but not his job. Within months of the fiery uproar, the facility, a prison in Raymondville for immigrants awaiting deportation, was shut down. About 400 MTC employees, or 6 percent of the town’s entire workforce, lost their jobs. Less than a month later the Obama administration promised the federal government would stop contracting immigration detention to private operators, including MTC.

The decision was a severe blow to this remote area of the Rio Grande Valley, the poorest pocket of Texas. For two decades, first as a resident of Raymondville and then as its mayor, Gilbert Gonzales had witnessed neighboring counties build roads, schools, and housing, while his own economy foundered amid floods, illicit gambling, rampant drug use, and fleeing industries.

Three years on, Willacy County’s 11 percent jobless rate is almost triple the state average. Its farmers face the worst drought in decades. The two other prisons in Raymondville—known in the region as Prisonville—remain the biggest employers in a town excited about the prospects of a new Tractor Supply Co. store. But change is coming: President Trump and his hard-line immigration agenda have revived the Willacy County Correctional Center.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEKView all
Instagram's Founders Say It's Time for a New Social App
Bloomberg Businessweek US

Instagram's Founders Say It's Time for a New Social App

The rise of AI and the fall of Twitter could create opportunities for upstarts

time-read
4 mins  |
March 13, 2023
Running in Circles
Bloomberg Businessweek US

Running in Circles

A subscription running shoe program aims to fight footwear waste

time-read
3 mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
What I Learned Working at a Hawaiien Mega-Resort
Bloomberg Businessweek US

What I Learned Working at a Hawaiien Mega-Resort

Nine wild secrets from the staff at Turtle Bay, who have to manage everyone from haughty honeymooners to go-go-dancing golfers.

time-read
10 mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
How Noma Will Blossom In Kyoto
Bloomberg Businessweek US

How Noma Will Blossom In Kyoto

The best restaurant in the world just began its second pop-up in Japan. Here's what's cooking

time-read
3 mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
The Last-Mover Problem
Bloomberg Businessweek US

The Last-Mover Problem

A startup called Sennder is trying to bring an extremely tech-resistant industry into the age of apps

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
Tick Tock, TikTok
Bloomberg Businessweek US

Tick Tock, TikTok

The US thinks the Chinese-owned social media app is a major national security risk. TikTok is running out of ways to avoid a ban

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
Cleaner Clothing Dye, Made From Bacteria
Bloomberg Businessweek US

Cleaner Clothing Dye, Made From Bacteria

A UK company produces colors with less water than conventional methods and no toxic chemicals

time-read
3 mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
Pumping Heat in Hamburg
Bloomberg Businessweek US

Pumping Heat in Hamburg

The German port city plans to store hot water underground and bring it up to heat homes in the winter

time-read
3 mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
Sustainability: Calamari's Climate Edge
Bloomberg Businessweek US

Sustainability: Calamari's Climate Edge

Squid's ability to flourish in warmer waters makes it fitting for a diet for the changing environment

time-read
4 mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023
New Money, New Problems
Bloomberg Businessweek US

New Money, New Problems

In Naples, an influx of wealthy is displacing out-of-towners lower-income workers

time-read
4 mins  |
March 20 - 27, 2023