Marana residents demand answers on prison deal with MTC

Marana Town Manager Terry Rozema’s job description notes he is responsible for “guiding strategic initiatives that enhance the quality of life of Marana residents.” Yet on a proposed ICE detention center that threatens to bleed Marana dry, Rozema neglects his most basic duty.

Instead of doing due diligence to ensure this deal will benefit the people of Marana, he has acted more as a mouthpiece for Management and Training Corporation (MTC), smoothing the way for their ICE contract despite a host of unanswered questions and vocal opposition from the community.

MTC is a private prison company based in Utah that ran the prison in Marana and is reportedly negotiating a contract with ICE to reopen the facility as an immigrant detention center. Another MTC prison in Kingman was the site of a high-profile escape and a series of violent riots. Gov. Ducey canceled MTC’s contract after the state released a scathing report about rampant abuse and serious security issues at the prison, including a "culture of casual indifference toward staff and training."

MTC’s Marana facility had some of the lowest pay of any prison in Arizona. The company was fined 38 times by the state for failing to fill staff vacancies. But the man charged with managing the Town is welcoming them back with open arms.

Rozema appears to have developed a close relationship with MTC. He paints a rosy picture of the past, touting how the inmates provided free labor. In records gathered through public records requests, Rozema seems to be the de facto point of contact between the Town and the corporation.

These records show communication between Rozema and MTC about a potential ICE lockup as early as April 2025. In one email, an MTC rep asks, “Would the city/county entertain a payment in lieu of taxes agreement for this property and, if so, on what terms?” We don’t know how Rozema responded. But a multi-million dollar corporation trying to cut a deal to avoid paying taxes doesn’t bode well. These arrangements generally result in lower payments than standard taxation, meaning the city collects less overall.

But Rozema’s shilling for MTC hit a new high (or low) after DHS announced that the proposed detention center could house over 1300 detainees–almost double the 700 number previously quoted. The announcement came as a shock to both the Town and to MTC, raising serious questions about whether the Federal government is negotiating in good faith. Rozema called his friends at MTC to find out what was going on. They assured him that since that number didn’t come from them, it was “simply not reality.”

When faced with a glaring discrepancy that has serious potential impacts on the Town infrastructure–in terms of water usage, draw on the electric grid, sewage production, health care, and a host of other critical issues–the core responsibility of a Town Manager is to demand clarity. But Rozema prefers to take MTC’s word for it.

When asked if he would reach out to DHS about why they listed the 1,300 number on their published Notice, Rozema told the Arizona Republic, "I don't believe that there's a need to reach out to DHS if MTC has clearly stated to us that the 1,300 is not a number that they intend to use…”

The residents of Marana deserve more than “trust me.” A facility like this will have profound impacts on quality of life, including increased traffic and air, light and noise pollution. It will strain local police, fire, hospital, and other community services. Important questions remain unanswered: How much water will this use? How much power? Does the wastewater plant have capacity to handle the increased volume? Can we trust MTC to maintain a safe environment for staff and 1,300 detainees when they couldn’t do so with a population of 250?

We need someone with the courage to stand up to these powerful agencies and demand answers. But currently, MTC is running roughshod all over Marana, and the guy whose job it is to protect our property and quality of life seems squarely in their pocket.