OMAHA, Neb. — A minimum-security state prison in McCook, Nebraska, has officially been reconfigured to serve as a federal immigration detention center, according to Governor Jim Pillen's announcement on Thursday. The facility, historically known as the McCook Work Ethic Camp, began accepting detainees earlier this week, with around 50 to 60 individuals currently held inside.
Governor Pillen indicated that the center could be at full capacity, accommodating 200 detainees, by Thanksgiving. Furthermore, plans for a second phase of expansion include an additional 100 beds, potentially bringing total capacity to 300 by early 2024.
The McCook prison, which previously housed around 180 low-level offenders who participated in rehabilitation programs, has seen those inmates relocated either through parole, probation, or transfer to other facilities.
This shift drew surprise from local officials and residents when announced in August, linking it with former President Donald Trump's stringent immigration policies. Some local lawmakers, notably including former state senator DiAnna Schimek, have criticized the swift decision, emphasizing the existing challenges of inmate overcrowding and staff shortages in Nebraska's prison system.
Residents have initiated a lawsuit against Governor Pillen and state prison officials, arguing that only the state legislature has the authority to repurpose state prison facilities. Though a temporary injunction to halt the transition was requested, it was denied by a local judge who also rejected a motion to dismiss the case filed by Pillen.
As of mid-September, statistics indicated nearly 60,000 individuals in immigration detention nationwide, underscoring a troubling rise in detentions. The center's conversion has implications not just for local governance, but also for broader discussions around immigration enforcement, with concerns raised regarding the nature of offenses often leading to detention.
McCook, located approximately 210 miles west of Lincoln, stands as the latest focal point in Nebraska's evolving approach to immigration and detention.
