Paul Anderson, Minnesota State Representative of 12A District | Official Website
Paul Anderson, Minnesota State Representative of 12A District | Official Website
Last summer, Minnesota State Representative Paul Anderson and Senator Torrey Westrom sent a letter to state officials advocating for the reopening of the Prairie Correctional Facility in Appleton. The lawmakers proposed this move as a practical solution to address the loss of prison beds resulting from the planned phased closure of the Stillwater facility.
The possible reopening of Prairie Correctional Facility, which is Minnesota’s only private prison and has been closed since 2010, has become a topic of increased discussion. This follows reports that it could be converted into an ICE detention center. According to Rep. Anderson, “Prairie Correctional owner CoreCivic reportedly is ‘aggressively pursuing’ a contract with ICE.” However, he noted that federal plans are still unclear and that the recently begun federal government shutdown may affect further developments.
Rep. Anderson argued that if more space is required for detainees, utilizing Appleton’s 1,600 available beds would be more economical than constructing new facilities. He said this option “would restore a number of good-paying jobs in our region and provide a boost for the people of Appleton.”
The decision to phase out the Stillwater prison was added late during budget negotiations in May without significant input from legislators or staff at Stillwater. Rep. Anderson stated, “The decision was a surprise to many since it came without meaningful input from legislators, Stillwater prison staff, or the public.”
So far, Governor Tim Walz has not shown support for restoring operations at Appleton either as part of Minnesota’s correctional system or as a mental health facility—a proposal previously suggested by Rep. Anderson and Sen. Westrom.
In other updates shared by Rep. Anderson, Benson School District Superintendent Dennis Laumeyer announced that the Upper Sioux Board Tribal Nation granted an exemption allowing Benson schools to continue using their “Braves” name and feather logo after a unanimous vote by its Board of Trustees.
Additionally, Benson schools will collaborate with the Upper Sioux Board Tribal Nation to ensure state standards related to Indigenous education are met authentically.
Rep. Anderson concluded his update wishing readers well during harvest season and reminding drivers to watch out for combines on local roads.
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