A subsidiary of Ahtna Inc., an Alaska Native regional corporation, runs an unusual immigrant detention facility in New York City under a $79 million, three-year contract with the federal government.

Ahtna Technical Services Inc. operates the Varick Street Detention Facility with the help of a Texas subcontractor. The jail houses up to 250 adult male aliens who face deportation for various reasons.

The Obama administration cites the jail as a model for the way legal services are provided to detainees. But the New York City Bar Association says detainees are frequently denied counsel and live under harsh conditions.

Ahtna has about 1,200 shareholders.

Get the Story:
Immigrant Jail Tests U.S. View of Legal Access (The New York Times 11/2)

Relevant Documents:
Contract: Operation of the Varick Federal Detention Processing Facility