The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee is challenging last week’s approval of contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and CoreCivic, saying the votes did not meet the requirements of Mason’s charter.
According to the town’s charter, “any form of board action shall be passed by a majority of the members present, if there is a quorum.”
With seven aldermen present at the Aug. 12 meeting, four votes were required for passage. The ICE contract received three votes in favor, two against and two abstentions.
Mayor Eddie Noeman and Town Attorney Nathan Bicks said during the meeting that abstentions did not count toward the total, allowing the 3-2-2 tally to stand. The ACLU letter disputes that interpretation, citing the charter’s wording that requires a majority of those present, not just those voting.
The votes followed a heated and chaotic meeting moved to the fire department bay, where chants of “Shut it down!” and “No ICE in Mason!” could be heard from protestors outside. Most of the public comments opposed the contracts, while supporters argued that reopening the detention facility would bring jobs and revenue back to the town .
The agreements approved by the board include an intergovernmental service agreement with ICE to house immigration detainees and a separate contract with CoreCivic to operate the facility on Mason’s behalf. Under the terms, Mason would receive $1 per detainee per day as an administrative fee, while CoreCivic would assume responsibility for staffing and operations .
The detention center, located on the edge of Mason, was operated for decades under a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service before closing in 2021, after a Biden administration executive order ended some federal agreements with private prisons .
The ACLU has asked Mason officials to stop all actions related to the ICE and CoreCivic contracts and declare the vote invalid. Town leaders have not yet issued a public response.
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