On Aug. 12, Governor Jim Pillen’s office confirmed Nebraska had entered a two-year contract with the Department of Homeland Security and would be converting the Work Ethic Camp in McCook County into an ICE detention facility, nicknamed “The Cornhusker Clink”. Now operational, the facility has undermined the Nebraska Legislature to set a potentially dangerous precedent.
The contract, which will give the state $2.5 million every month over two years, is expected to raise $14 million for the state, according to multiple sources. Other justifications for the facility include the creation of new jobs, boosting the local economy and a chance for Nebraska to up national security. In response to this decision, 13 senators released a joint statement on Aug. 28, criticizing Pillen for taking the deal with DEH while the legislature was on break. One major concern was how it would affect overcrowding.
“We’ve already broken ground on a new $350 million prison, which will saddle taxpayers for decades and yet that won’t even solve overcrowding,” said Sen. Megan Hunt in a separate statement, “Nebraskans are tightening their belts, but the governor is prioritizing a federal detention facility that doesn’t address a single one of these pressing needs.”
According to the Nebraska Examiner, “Nebraska formally entered a prison overcrowding emergency in 2020 when the system surpassed 140% of its design capacity, as determined by the available bed space across all prison system facilities.”
The WEC was designed to alter behavior using education and treatment, reducing recidivism that contributes to overcrowding, as stated in the official legislative report from the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.
“The Work Ethic Camp was supposed to be a part of the solution: giving people the tools to reintegrate, lowering recidivism and creating jobs in the community,” said Hunt. “Scrapping that plan in favor of an ICE facility tells Nebraskans that their safety, their tax dollars and their future come second to Pillen’s desire to score political points with Washington.”
Transforming the WEC into the federal detention facility, among other things, included the addition of a $750,000 12-foot tall fence with a razor-wire border and $5 million in renovations to rooms and security, according to First Alert 6. The facility has also restricted media access.
“I think I can’t make it any more clear. I believe in running government like a business. I’m getting extraordinary feedback across the state everywhere I go,” said Pillen during an interview about the new Nebraska treasurer on Nov. 3.
Already failing Nebraska’s prison system and the taxpayer’s wallet, Pillen’s business-style deal with DHS also risks crippling the state’s agricultural economy if it continues with the operation of the facility. The Center for Migration Studies reports that upwards of 40% of Nebraska’s agricultural workforce could be undocumented immigrants. Pairing this with a projection from UNL’s Center for Agricultural Profitability, Nebraska’s net farm income will increase by 42% in 2025, to $8.42 billion, the detention facility’s presence could be disastrous.
Risking even a portion of the predicted $8.42 billion for an annual amount of $14 million is reckless, as yearly money from the DHS contract makes up just .16% of the UNL estimate for net farm income.
“There may be some immigrants who are thinking about just going home, but there are those who I think want to stay and see if they can get this– their circumstances– worked out,” said Sen. Margo Juarez. “They want the best for their children.”
Juarez serves district 5, which has a 43.98% Hispanic population as of 2021, according to the official Nebraska Legislative website. Many of the bills she has introduced focus on reformation, justice and due process.
“It would have been great if everyone came through a proper legal path for themselves,” said Juarez. “However, as you can see, money’s not out where it’s needed, and so that’s why [undocumented immigrants] continue to come into our country.”
Money instead has gone to the detention facility, to create connections between Pillen and the federal government, and sever them from the legislative body.
“If this becomes the standard for how we govern, the future of legislation in Nebraska is at risk,” said Hunt. “We’ll see fewer policies rooted in fairness, transparency and community safety, and more designed for political theater and national headlines.”
While Pillen was unavailable for comment, he said during a press release on Nov. 6 there are around 60 detainees at the facility now, and he is hoping to get to 200 by Thanksgiving, as outlined in “Phase 1” of his contract with DHS. While these numbers make the situation seem permanent, calling representatives can make a difference.
“Community activism has always been the most powerful force for change in our state,” said Hunt. “Nebraskans stand up together, whether it’s for our public schools, for healthcare, for workers or for justice, we make a difference. Don’t underestimate the power of your voice, because it’s what will shape Nebraska’s future.”
