BIG SPRING, TX – The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced Wednesday afternoon that they would be closing six federal penitentiaries to address “decades of deferred maintenance and extreme staffing challenges.” Among them, the federal correctional institution in Big Spring.
An employer of 286 workers, sources say. The prison is one of the most important employers in Howard County. The low-security men’s prison is home to 617 inmates.
The bureau stated in their release that “staff currently assigned to Beaumont FCI Low, Lexington FMC Satellite Camp, and Petersburg FCI Low will be transferred to other units onsite or nearby for continued employment with the BOP.” And that a “reduction-in-force will take effect at Big Spring FCI” among other prisons.
Residents of Howard County have only had a few hours to react to the news. Among the only social media response as of publish was Shiloh Salazar of Big Spring, a candidate in the state race for District 72, who said of the closures: “When one of our neighbors loses their livelihood, the entire community feels it…These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet.”
This story will be updated with information as it is received. Last update: July 1, 6:06 p.m.
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