In brief
Nebraska's McCook minimum-security prison has officially recommissioned as a federal immigration detention center. Currently housing 50 to 60 detainees, the facility is expected to reach capacity by Thanksgiving with plans for further expansion. Controversy surrounds the move, as local lawmakers express concern over the state’s crowded prison system and residents file a lawsuit challenging the conversion's legality.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A minimum-security state prison in the remote southwest corner of Nebraska has been repurposed as a federal immigration detention center, according to Governor Jim Pillen's announcement on Thursday.
Located in McCook—a city of about 7,000 residents—the facility currently houses between 50 and 60 immigrant detainees and is set to reach its full capacity of 200 by Thanksgiving. Plans are already underway for an additional 100 beds to be added, increasing the total to 300 capacity by early next year.
The prison, once known as the McCook Work Ethic Camp, previously accommodated about 180 low-level offenders who took part in various educational and rehabilitative programs aimed at reducing recidivism. These inmates were involved in community work, such as maintaining roads and supporting local schools.
As part of this transition, many of the previous inmates have been relocated. Some were released on parole, while the majority have been transferred to other correctional facilities in Omaha and Lincoln, and other state prisons.
McCook's officials and residents were caught off guard when Governor Pillen announced the conversion in August as part of a broader federal initiative targeting immigration under the Trump administration. Nebraska's Homeland Security officials have referred to the facility as the 'Cornhusker Clink', echoing a theme seen with similarly named detainment centers in other states.
However, this decision has sparked controversy among Nebraska legislators who question the prudence of repurposing a prison in a state already experiencing overcrowding and understaffing challenges within its prison system. A legal challenge has been mounted against Governor Pillen, claiming that only the state's legislature has the authority to manage prison facilities. Despite requests for an injunction to halt the conversion, a judge has denied those efforts so far.
As of mid-September, nearly 60,000 individuals were being held in immigration detention, marking a significant increase from earlier in the year, with many of those detainees lacking any significant criminal history. Recent data indicates that around 70% of those in detention have no criminal record, and many have only minor offenses.
