No formal agreement has been signed to convert a remote state prison in Nebraska into the latest immigration detention center as concerns rise among lawmakers and nearby residents. Governor Jim Pillen announced the plan over three weeks ago, but many questions surrounding the initiative remain unanswered, specifically regarding the costs, staffing, and safety precautions necessary for housing detainees.
Corrections officials claim that, if all goes as planned, the facility could begin housing hundreds of detainees next month. However, skepticism looms as some local leaders feel sidelined by the state government’s top-down approach. City leaders were given absolutely no choice in the matter, stated Mike O'Dell, publisher of the McCook Gazette.
The Work Ethic Camp, designed for rehabilitation of low-level offenders, currently houses around 155 inmates participating in education and community service programs. The local community is accustomed to low-level offenders working in schools and local projects, which adds to their concerns about the drastic shift to detaining immigration offenders.
Lawmakers have criticized the governor's decision, highlighting the already strained Nebraska prison system, which is recognized as one of the most overcrowded nationwide. Concerns were voiced in a recent public hearing about how converting a facility built for 125 people to accommodate 200-300 detainees without compromising security and safety could be feasible.
As tension builds, the residents of McCook are left anxiously asking where future detainees will be housed and what that will mean for their community.
Corrections officials claim that, if all goes as planned, the facility could begin housing hundreds of detainees next month. However, skepticism looms as some local leaders feel sidelined by the state government’s top-down approach. City leaders were given absolutely no choice in the matter, stated Mike O'Dell, publisher of the McCook Gazette.
The Work Ethic Camp, designed for rehabilitation of low-level offenders, currently houses around 155 inmates participating in education and community service programs. The local community is accustomed to low-level offenders working in schools and local projects, which adds to their concerns about the drastic shift to detaining immigration offenders.
Lawmakers have criticized the governor's decision, highlighting the already strained Nebraska prison system, which is recognized as one of the most overcrowded nationwide. Concerns were voiced in a recent public hearing about how converting a facility built for 125 people to accommodate 200-300 detainees without compromising security and safety could be feasible.
As tension builds, the residents of McCook are left anxiously asking where future detainees will be housed and what that will mean for their community.
