Nebraska Lawmakers Schedule Public Hearing on ICE Detention Conversion Plan

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen's plan to convert the McCook Work Ethic Camp into a 300-bed ICE detention facility has sparked significant controversy and legislative scrutiny. While the Judiciary Committee chair, State Sen. Carolyn Bosn, declined to hold a hearing on the plan, State Sen. Terrell McKinney, chair of the Urban Affairs Committee, scheduled a public hearing to address potential building code and capacity issues related to the facility. McKinney's hearing will focus on whether the facility meets Nebraska’s standards for criminal detention centers and aims to promote transparency, amid concerns about the state’s overcrowded prison system and the accelerated federal deportation efforts under President Donald Trump. Thirteen progressive lawmakers have criticized the lack of legislative involvement and public notice in the decision-making process, emphasizing the need for oversight and accountability. Meanwhile, local groups and some legislators advocate for comprehensive immigration law reforms to support Nebraska’s workforce and communities, highlighting the broader implications of immigration policy beyond detention centers. The debate illustrates the tension between state-level enforcement cooperation with federal immigration objectives and calls for legislative transparency and updated immigration frameworks.