OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A minimum-security state prison in the remote southwest corner of Nebraska has been reconfigured to function as a federal immigration detention center, beginning to accept detainees this week, as confirmed by Governor Jim Pillen.
Situated in McCook — a small city of around 7,000 residents between Denver and Omaha — the facility currently holds between 50 and 60 immigrant detainees as of Thursday, with an anticipated increase to full capacity of 200 expected by Thanksgiving. Plans for a second phase of expansion are underway, potentially adding another 100 beds, bringing the total to 300.
This facility was formerly known as the McCook Work Ethic Camp, which primarily housed 180 low-level offenders involved in rehabilitation programs aimed at easing their transition back into society. These programs received praise from officials for significantly reducing recidivism rates.
With the conversion, low-level offenders have been relocated, with some paroled or placed on probation, while over 100 others have been moved to community corrections in Omaha and Lincoln.
Residents of McCook were taken aback by Pillen's announcement in August to repurpose the prison for federal immigration control as part of a broader policy initiated under President Trump's administration.
The facility has been dubbed the 'Cornhusker Clink,' referencing the state's nickname, sparking controversy among local lawmakers who express concerns regarding Nebraska's already overcrowded prison system.
Legal challenges have emerged, with former state senator DiAnna Schimek alongside thirteen local residents suing Governor Pillen, arguing that only the Legislature holds the power to manage state prisons and reallocate state properties.
A judge has recently denied attempts to halt the conversion while the lawsuit proceeds, signaling ongoing legal and community disputes regarding the facility's future role.
According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, nearly 60,000 people were held in immigration detention by mid-September, a substantial 51% rise since January, with a majority of those detained not having criminal records.
