Baldwin, Michigan’s North Lake Prison Converts for ICE

While President Donald Trump is out here talking about reopening Alcatraz—yeah, the infamous island prison turned tourist trap—a Baldwin, Michigan, correctional facility is quietly teeing up its own reboot, but not on the water; this is happening in the woods.

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According to USA Today, President Trump posted on Truth Social that he wants to "REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ" as a symbol of "law and order." Nothing says serious policy like the setting of Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage's "The Rock." However, Michigan prisons have also been the setting of Hollywood blockbusters, such as "Reindeer Games" with Ben Affleck.

Private Firm Reopening Northern Michigan Prison

Meanwhile, in Baldwin, Michigan, The GEO Group announced on March 20, 2025, that they'd been contracted by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for "the immediate activation of a federal immigration processing center" at the North Lake Correctional Facility.

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MLive reports that Baldwin's North Lake Correctional Facility will be a 1,800-bed facility, making it Michigan's largest immigration detention center.

Reopening of North Lake Correctional Facility Impact

According to WZZM, the new fat federal contract also promises 300 new jobs in what the United States Department of Health and Human Services ranks as one of Michigan's poorest counties. This is a big deal for Lake County, where options are limited and industry interest is about as active as dial-up internet.

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As for GEO? According to the press release, the company expects to generate more than $70 million in the contract's first year. It is a ten-year contract. GEO and ICE have had a 40-plus-year partnership. Here's hoping this works out well for Baldwin.