On Wednesday, June 6, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) announced the activation of Administrative United States Penitentiary (AUSP) Thomson as a high-security prison. As a part of the activation, BOP will move the Special Management Unit (SMU) from USP Lewisburg to AUSP Thomson. The BOP expects to fully activate AUSP Thomson by the end of 2019.

As of March 31, 2018, DC incarcerated residents made up 10% of the population at USP Lewisburg, while under 5% of the total BOP population.