WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) called on the Trump Administration's Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Acting Director William W. Lothrop to reconsider the decision to deactivate Federal Prison Camp (FPC) Duluth and ensure that BOP employees can continue to serve in Duluth.

“The employees of FPC Duluth and their families strengthen the local economy and have deep roots in the Duluth area,” wrote the Senators. “They have expressed their frustration that the deactivation of FPC Duluth will mean either commuting to Federal Correctional Institution Sandstone — approximately 90 minutes away — relocating to a new state or leaving BOP altogether.”

“We urge you to direct the Bureau of Prisons to reconsider its decision to deactivate FPC Duluth, and engage with the employees and community in Duluth,” the Senators continued.

This letter is a follow-up to an earlier oversight letter that Senators Klobuchar and Smith sent to former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters on December 23, 2024, expressing their concern regarding the deactivation.

The full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Acting Director Lothrop:

This is a follow up to a letter we sent to former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters on December 23, 2024, expressing our frustration and concern regarding the deactivation of Federal Prison Camp Duluth (FPC Duluth).  

We renew our questions below:

  1. On what basis did the BOP determine that the facilities at FPC Duluth are dilapidated, and did the BOP do an assessment of how FPC Duluth’s facilities compare to other minimum-security facilities?

  2. Did the BOP solicit any input from the employees at FPC Duluth, local community leaders, or other stakeholders when making the decision to deactivate FPC Duluth?

  3. What steps is the BOP taking to ensure that employees whose livelihoods are impacted by FPC Duluth’s deactivation can remain in the Duluth area? 

The employees of FPC Duluth and their families strengthen the local economy and have deep roots in the Duluth area. They have expressed their frustration that the deactivation of FPC Duluth will mean either commuting to Federal Correctional Institution Sandstone — approximately 90 minutes away — relocating to a new state or leaving BOP altogether. 

We are disappointed that the BOP has not kept our offices briefed on its progress to ensure our constituents can find other employment and that the inmates are being transferred in accordance with the law. 

We urge you to direct the Bureau of Prisons to reconsider its decision to deactivate FPC Duluth, and engage with the employees and community in Duluth.  

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.