Those detainees will be housed in the new jail facility that opened this last spring following a two-year construction.According to the Okmulgee County Criminal Justice Authority (OCCJA), the agreement to house the ICE detainees is going to provide revenue to operate the jail after the state Department of Corrections ended all contracts with county jails throughout the State of Oklahoma. That contact with the Okmulgee County jail ended this past March. The jail annex was built to add about 244 spaces for inmates and detainees. It was deemed necessary after the current jail became overcrowded and was the scene of a riot by prisoners.
Okmulgee County Commissioners and members of the OCCJA said the contract with ICE keeps other county revenue from being diverted from other projects. It is also said to help retire the bond issue before the original 20-year due date.