Earlier this month, Gov. Tim Walz and legislative leaders rolled out the terms of the state’s new two-year budget agreement. Contained in the deal was a provision to close Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater, one of the state’s oldest prisons.
Built in 1914, MCF-Stillwater holds nearly 1,500 male inmates and is one of three “close security” prisons in Minnesota. Of the prison security levels in Minnesota, close security is ranked just below maximum security.
When announcing the closure, Walz said maintenance requirements at MFC-Stillwater have become unsustainable, and other state prisons have the capacity to absorb the Stillwater inmates. Further, the governor referenced “constant issues around the inability to provide safety towards the staff and safety towards the incarcerated individuals.”
In a press release, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) said the prison was “long past its useful life” and fully modernizing the site would cost roughly $1.3 billion. As such, the DOC has announced a two-phase plan for closing MCF-Stillwater.
According to the plan, Phase 1 will commence later this year and begin the process of transferring “approximately half” of the facility’s prisoners to one of the nine other male DOC facilities. During this phase, state officials will study the logistics of fully vacating the property and decommissioning it for other potential uses.
Phase 2, which would begin in July of 2027, will initiate “the final transition to fully vacate the MCF-Stillwater site, transferring the remaining incarcerated individuals and staff, with a complete closure expected by June 30, 2029.”
The DOC noted that “a reduction in staffing is expected,” and the prison closure will save Minnesota roughly $40 million annually.
Earlier this week, Alpha News spoke with one of the facility’s prison guards who was blindsided by the announcement.
Prison guard criticizes ‘disrespect’ of decision
A 15-year prison guard at MCF-Stillwater, Gabriel Yáñez told Alpha News “it was a shock to me to come into work and be told by coworkers that we’re closing.”
Yáñez said he is against the prison closure because there is no guarantee that he will have a job when all is said and done. Having provided for his family with the prison job, Yáñez said one of the first thoughts he had after hearing about the closure was whether he would lose the house that he and his wife share.
On top of this, Yáñez’s wife also works at MCF-Stillwater as a prison guard, and he is concerned for her job security as well. According to Yáñez, he and his wife are not the only family where both spouses are working at the prison.
“The disrespect [of] the decision to close Stillwater without even talking with us is a huge slap in the face to all the staff that work at Stillwater Prison,” said Yáñez.
“They say family comes first. Well prove it if they believe that. I spent 15+ years there working hard and providing for my family,” he continued.
Additionally, Yáñez said that if he’s moved to a new facility, he could end up having to “drive over an hour to go to work, where now I have to spend more time away from my family.”
DOC defends planned closure
In a statement to Alpha News, the DOC said prison staff were not consulted about the decision to close MCF-Stillwater as that judgement call was part of the state budget agreement made by Gov. Walz and legislative leaders.
“The impact on staff is regrettable, and we recognize that this decision will affect both the lives and the careers of impacted Stillwater staff,” said a DOC spokesperson. “The DOC will work closely with labor unions to minimize the impact on staff to the extent possible.”
Legislation allowing the closure of MCF-Stillwater specifically bars the agency from granting early release to prisoners, or reducing their sentences, in order to fully vacate the prison.
Describing the decision to close the prison as a difficult but necessary step to address Minnesota’s “antiquated prison infrastructure,” the DOC told Alpha News that lawmakers have heard from agency staff and other stakeholders about the “lack of modern security features at MCF-Stillwater.”
Further, a DOC spokesperson said the closure “reflects responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and the goal of improving the health and safety of DOC staff and those the agency serves.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, has expressed skepticism about the prison closure, citing a lack of public hearings and thorough vetting of such a dramatic change.
“I’m concerned that this decision and the long-term ramifications put the public at risk. We should not move forward with this proposal until we have an adequate plan in place to house the inmates and relocate the staff,” said Sen. Limmer.
Addressing the lack of hearings specifically about closing MCF-Stillwater, the DOC noted that the agency’s commissioner had previously told lawmakers that layoffs and “significant impacts to the agency’s mission” were expected. According to a DOC spokesperson, closing MCF-Stillwater allows the agency to “manage long-term costs” and address a variety of concerns “in a strategic and sustainable way.”
Earlier this week, an omnibus bill which allows for the prison closure passed the Minnesota House of Representatives by a 131-3 vote. In the Minnesota Senate, the same bill passed by a slim margin of 34-33; all Democrats supported it while all Republicans opposed it.
That omnibus bill currently awaits the governor’s signature.
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
