MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A former prison in Tipton County has begun accepting and housing ICE detainees, according to the company contracted to run the facility.

Last month, the Mason Board of Aldermen approved a contract with CoreCivic to operate the facility in the former West Tennessee Detention building.

CoreCivic said it had begun receiving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees at its West Tennessee Detention Facility (WTDF) in response to an immediate need from the federal government for safe, humane, and appropriate housing and care for these individuals.

CoreCivic said it is the nation’s largest owner of partnership correctional, detention, and residential reentry facilities, and one of the largest prison operators in the United States.

"For more than 40 years, Core

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