Why a Colorado mental health provider turned down an ICE contract

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report: Detailed Summary

Episode Title: Why a Colorado Mental Health Provider Turned Down an ICE Contract
Release Date: June 18, 2025
Host: David Brancaccio
Produced by: Marketplace

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Introduction

In this episode of Marketplace Morning Report, host David Brancaccio delves into a significant development involving Mindsprings, the largest mental health provider in western Colorado, and its decision to decline a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The episode explores the broader implications of such decisions on local communities, the economy, and the ongoing discourse around immigration enforcement in the United States.

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Senate Passes Stablecoin Legislation

[02:02 - 03:02]
David Brancaccio begins the episode by discussing a legislative victory in the Senate concerning cryptocurrency regulations. The Senate has passed the Genius Act, a bill establishing a regulatory framework for stablecoins—cryptocurrencies pegged to the US Dollar. Nancy Marshall Genzer of Marketplace provides insights into the bill:

• Nancy Marshall Genzer: "Stablecoin backers say they could be used to send payments instantly and directly, cutting out middlemen."
• Nancy Marshall Genzer: "Most Democrats were opposed, though, pointing out the legislation doesn't include anti-corruption measures or anything prohibiting President Trump and his family from making money from crypto."

While this segment provides important context on regulatory developments in the crypto space, the primary focus of the episode remains on immigration and mental health services.

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Mindsprings Declines ICE Contract

[03:02 - 06:09]
The core segment addresses Mindsprings' decision to forego a contract with ICE, shedding light on the motivations behind this move and its repercussions.

Background and Community Response

• Hali Zander (Aspen Public Radio): "When Mindsprings considered contracting with ICE in January, some in the Grand Junction community were alarmed."
• Hali Zander: "Calls poured in."

Mindsprings, typically operating at 30 out of its 48 inpatient beds, faced an opportunity to fill the remaining slots with immigrant detainees through the ICE contract. However, the proposal sparked significant backlash from the local community concerned about the ethical implications of collaborating with immigration enforcement agencies.

Reasons for Turning Down the Contract

• Dr. Nicholas D. Torres (Former CEO of Mindsprings): "We're strictly providing those acute mental health services."

Mindsprings' leadership, represented by Dr. Torres, emphasized their primary mandate to deliver mental health care without becoming an extension of ICE's detention apparatus. The facility’s hesitation was also influenced by limited ICE infrastructure in western Colorado and fears that providing services could inadvertently facilitate detainee detention and deportation.

Expert Opinions

• Cesar Ctemok Garcia Hernandez (Immigration Law Professor, Ohio State University): "The more it costs to detain one person, the sooner that the federal government will get to the end of the line."

Hernandez suggests that rising costs associated with detention may eventually limit ICE's capacities, though this viewpoint is contested.

• John Fabricatore (Former ICE Field Office Director): "When it comes to mandatory detention, even as costs rise, ICE will always arrest and detain people involved in serious crimes."

Fabricatore counters Hernandez's perspective, asserting that ICE priorities—especially regarding serious crimes—will persist despite increasing operational costs.

Economic Implications

The decision by Mindsprings to withdraw from the ICE contract had immediate economic repercussions:

• Hali Zander: "This deprived the local economy of some serious cash."

With Mindsprings opting out, the anticipated economic benefits from the contract were lost for Grand Junction. Instead, services are expected to relocate to other regions, potentially boosting their local economies instead.

Additional Insights

• Hali Zander: "Across the country, private contracts with ICE are pretty common."

This remark highlights that Mindsprings' decision is part of a larger national trend where private companies grapple with the ethics and logistics of partnering with ICE.

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Supplementary Topics

While the primary focus was on Mindsprings and ICE, the episode also briefly touches upon unrelated segments, including:

Promotional Ads

• Richard Karn promotes the Pocket Hose Copperhead and T-Mobile's iPhone offers.
• GoFundMe Representative discusses fundraising through the platform.

These segments are standard commercial breaks integrated into the podcast.

Horror Film Industry Analysis

[07:30 - 09:10]
David Brancaccio transitions to a segment analyzing the surge in horror films within the US box office:

• Nancy Marshall Genzer: "Horror movies do well internationally. Running from zombies has universal appeal."
• Paul Dergirabedian (comScore Analyst): Attributes the growth to critically acclaimed horror films like Get Out and Sinners, which have broadened the genre's audience.

This analysis underscores the evolving landscape of the film industry, highlighting economic and cultural factors driving the popularity of horror movies.

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Conclusion

The episode concludes by reiterating the significant decisions faced by private healthcare providers like Mindsprings in the context of federal immigration policies. The broader implications touch upon community ethics, economic impacts, and the intricate balance between providing essential services and governmental mandates.

David Brancaccio wraps up the Marketplace Morning Report, emphasizing the interconnectedness of business, economics, and societal issues in shaping today's news landscape.

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Notable Quotes:

• Hali Zander [04:37]: "ICE doesn't have a lot of infrastructure in western Colorado, and Mindsprings was typically filling only 30 of its 48 beds at its inpatient facility."
• Cesar Ctemok Garcia Hernandez [05:10]: "The more it costs to detain one person, the sooner that the federal government will get to the end of the line."
• John Fabricatore [05:26]: "When it comes to mandatory detention, even as costs rise, ICE will always arrest and detain people involved in serious crimes."
• Nancy Marshall Genzer [08:39]: "Running from zombies has universal appeal."

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This detailed summary encapsulates the multifaceted discussions from the episode, providing insights into both the specific case of Mindsprings and the wider economic and cultural narratives presented.

Transcript

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[David Brancaccio]

There's been a big win in the Senate for cryptocurrency businesses. I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. The Senate has passed a bill setting up a framework of regulations for what are called stablecoins. If something like this passes the House, it'll be a big win for the crypto folks. Marketplace's Nancy Marshall Genzer has details.

[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency that's pegged to the US Dollar. Stablecoin backers say they could be used to send payments instantly and directly, cutting out middleme. The Senate bill is called the Genius Act. It includes rules for private companies that want to issue digital dollars. The bill passed with some support from Democrats. Most Democrats were opposed, though, pointing out the legislation doesn't include anti corruption measures or anything prohibiting President Trump and his family from making money from crypto. The House is considering its own crypto legislation and could make changes to the Senate bill. I'm Nancy Marshall Genser for Marketplace Now.

[David Brancaccio]

Middle of Last week, the Trump administration was hardline on immigration raids, including farms and hotels, late last week after online posts from President Trump honoring the contributions of immigrant workers, an apparent reprieve for those industries. But coming out of the weekend, back to the hard line. Lobby groups for farms and businesses that employ people from other countries are expressing concern. Today. We continue our coverage. We look at contractors providing legally required services for people detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. These include medical care where providers are trying to navigate the administration's assertions that detainees do not have rights to normal due process. Aspen Public Radio's Hali Zander reports on a mental health facility in Colorado that decided not to take this business.

[Hali Zander]

When mindsprings, the biggest mental health provider in western Colorado, considered contracting with ICE in January, some in the Grand Junction community were alarmed, former CEO Dr. Nicholas D. Torres said. Calls poured in.

[GoFundMe Representative]

There were some of our vendors that were telling us they were not going.

[Richard Karn]

To work with us.

[GoFundMe Representative]

There were some places that said they.

[Richard Karn]

Weren'T going to renew visas with us.

[Hali Zander]

ICE doesn't have a lot of infrastructure in western Colorado, and Mindsprings was typically filling only 30 of its 48 beds at its inpatient facility. The ICE contract would have filled the extra beds with immigrant detainees. Some immigrant advocates worried that if private companies like mindsprings provide food, shelter and medical care, it could make it easier for ICE to detain and deport people.

[GoFundMe Representative]

That's their opinion.

[Hali Zander]

Again, Dr. Torres we have no say.

[GoFundMe Representative]

In the actual detention process. We're strictly providing those acute mental health services.

[Hali Zander]

Across the country, private contracts with ICE are pretty common. A private prison based in Florida offers facilities. A tech company from Colorado provides data analytics software and an air travel company out of New Mexico charters planes for deportation flights. But if there's no contractor available for the price ICE wants to pay, they.

[David Brancaccio]

Have to offer a higher price.

[Hali Zander]

That's Cesar Ctemok Garcia Hernandez, an immigration law professor at Ohio State University. He says even though Trump's administration is working to increase funding for ice, there's always a breaking point.

[Richard Karn]

The more it costs to detain one.

[David Brancaccio]

Person, the sooner that the federal government will get to the end of the line.

[Hali Zander]

But John Fabricatore, a former ICE field office director, says that's not true. When it comes to mandatory detention, even as costs rise, he says ICE will always arrest and detain people involved in serious crimes. And the community members who didn't want Mindsprings to contract with ICE were missing the point.

[David Brancaccio]

What they actually protested against was providing.

[Richard Karn]

Care that is needed for people that.

[David Brancaccio]

Are in a detained setting.

[Hali Zander]

And this deprived the local economy of some serious cash.

[Richard Karn]

Somewhere else in the United States is.

[David Brancaccio]

Going to provide that service, and those.

[Richard Karn]

People are going to be moved to that location.

[Hali Zander]

But it won't be Grand Junction. Mindsprings shut down its hospital in March. In Aspen, Colorado, I'm Hallie Zander for Marketplace.

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[Hali Zander]

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You something in return for karma. That's okay.

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[Richard Karn]

I'm good. Seriously.

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[David Brancaccio]

See T mobile.com the spawn of the horror film 28 Days later is out in theaters this week. 28 Years later directed by Danny Boyle. In the last decade, horror movies have gone from 4% to 11% of US box office. Marketplace's Stephanie Hughes looks at this flight to Fright.

[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

Jordan Homan likes the existential questions that movies like 28 Years later bring up.

[Richard Karn]

What if something world ending happened and you're in this zombie apocalypse?

[David Brancaccio]

There are many kinds of death.

[Richard Karn]

Some are better than others. How would people really act?

[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

Homan works in project development for Phoenix theaters, which has nine locations across five states. All of them will be showing 28 years later. He's expecting people to show up because they want to be scared, but not by themselves.

[Richard Karn]

There's an electricity that's created in that environment.

[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

Paul Dergirabedian is an analyst with comScore. He says one thing that's boosted horror in the past decade is there have been a number of scary movies that are also critical darlings. He points to the 2017 movie Get out and more recently Sinners.

[Richard Karn]

A lot of people for whom going to a horror movie not really their cup of tea came out for those films after reading reviews.

[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

Also, he says, while people can spend a lot of money making horror films, they don't have to. That's different from say, a superhero movie.

[Richard Karn]

But a great horror movie. You could have one person in a room and scare people to death.

[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

And he says horror movies do well internationally. Running from zombies has universal appeal. I'm Stephanie Hughes for Marketplace and in.

[David Brancaccio]

Los Angeles, I'm David Brancaccio. It's the Marketplace Morning Report from apm, American Public Media.

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[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

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[Richard Karn]

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[David Brancaccio]

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[Nancy Marshall Genzer]

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[Richard Karn]

I think I would get the whiskey for sure.

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