President Donald Trump's administration took a new step in expanding its immigration detention infrastructure by awarding a five-year contract to the private company GEO Group to operate a new immigration processing center in Hudson, Colorado, a decision that has revived the debate between authorities, legislators and organizations defending the rights of migrants.

The project calls for reopening a former private prison, known as the Big Horn Facility, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Denver. The property, which has been out of operation for more than a decade, will have the capacity to house up to 1,188 people in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE).

As reported by GEO Group, the contract reaches a maximum value of 528.7 million dollars over five years and will allow the company to provide security services, maintenance, food, medical care, recreation and support for access to legal representation for detainees. The company estimates that the first full year of operations will generate about $85 million in revenue, not including transportation services.

The opening of the complex adds to the federal government's strategy to expand the number of beds available in immigration detention centers, in a context marked by the tightening of immigration control policies and the increase in ICE operations in different regions of the country.

Detention capacity grows in Colorado

Colorado currently has only one ICE detention center, located in Aurora and also managed by GEO Group, with capacity for more than 1,500 people. The addition of the Hudson complex will nearly double the state's immigration detention capacity.

GEO Group CEO George C. Zoley said the company is prepared to continue supporting the federal government in its immigration enforcement priorities and noted that the new facilities will help respond to the growing demand for immigrant processing spaces. The former Big Horn Prison opened in 2009 as a private correctional facility, but ceased operations just five years later.

Now, after the signing of the lease contract between GEO Group and the owner of the property, it will operate again with a different purpose.

Criticism from legislators and organizations persists

The announcement provoked new criticism from civil organizations and Democratic representatives of Colorado, who since last year had asked the Department of Homeland Security to cancel the project. Opponents argue that Hudson's rural location will make it difficult for detainees to maintain frequent contact with their families and attorneys, due to limited public transportation and the distance from the Denver metropolitan area.

Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, along with Representative Brittany Pettersen, had also raised concerns about a lack of transparency in the award process and a history of oversight of centers run by GEO Group.

Meanwhile, Hudson municipal authorities have acknowledged that they have limited legal tools to prevent the property from being used as a federal detention facility.

Until now, ICE has not reported the date on which the new center will begin operating or when the first migrants will begin to be transferred to the facilities. Meanwhile, community organizations are holding calls to analyze possible actions and continue expressing their rejection of the project.