406 North Avenue D

The San Luis Regional Detention Center is located in San Luis, Arizona, a small border city situated directly on the U.S.-Mexico border in the southwestern corner of the state, adjacent to San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico. The facility draws detainees from multiple nearby border sectors and ports of entry, including San Diego, Yuma, Calexico, San Luis, and San Ysidro, positioning it as a strategically located detention resource serving a broad stretch of the southern border.The facility originally opened in 2007 and is reported to be in solid condition. A 2011 expansion increased capacity from approximately 450 to 870 beds through an adjacent structure connected to the main building by an outdoor walkway. While total bed count stands at 870, practical operating capacity is 650–700 detainees due to classification, separation, and intake requirements, with recent average occupancy running approximately 560. Housing consists of roughly 96 single-bed cells and dormitory-style units accommodating 12, 24, and 48 detainees, with assignments used as part of a de-escalation strategy. The facility is connected to City of San Luis water and sewer and includes a full complement of operational infrastructure: a commercial kitchen with walk-in refrigeration, freezer, and dry storage; dedicated laundry facilities with four industrial washers and three industrial dryers; a medical area with examination, recovery, suicide-watch, and negative-pressure isolation rooms; intake space; virtual immigration hearing rooms; a barber shop; commissary; staff training and break areas; agency offices; two control rooms; and eight outdoor recreation areas. The primary long-term capital need is eventual replacement of 14 original HVAC units serving the main building, now approximately 20 years old, though all units are currently operational. ICE is funding approximately $96,000 for eight soundproof virtual hearing booths, with completion TBD. Full occupancy requires approximately 204 employees, including 24 medical personnel, four maintenance staff, and five food-service employees, with the remainder being correctional and operational staff. Staffing scales with average occupancy, travel nurse dependency has been eliminated, and costs have normalized. On the revenue side, the U.S. Marshals Service and ICE are the two primary contracting agencies and together account for the substantial majority of facility revenue. The facility is contractually required to maintain 100 beds reserved for ICE at all times, with the Marshals holding placement priority. Smaller populations are also placed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with recent placements tied to the San Diego, Yuma, Calexico, San Luis, and San Ysidro border sectors and ports of entry. Each agency pays separately under its applicable contract. Notably, New Mexico legislation restricting local participation in detention contracts has begun pushing federal agencies to secure beds out of state, representing a potential additional demand source for the facility. Management also expects that California court backlogs and limited in-state detention capacity could drive increased demand from California-related ICE detainees over time.