Nebraska’s ICE detention facility still under capacity as construction continues

The director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services said Monday that the transition of a state facility in McCook into a federal immigration detention site has gone according to plan, though the so-called Cornhusker Clink isn’t yet running at full capacity.”The staff show up, they’re incredible. They adapted,” Director Rob Jeffreys said during a cabinet meeting. “Make sure that people are being treated humanely and with care and dignity.”Since November 2025, the McCook facility, which previously operated as the Work Ethic Camp, started being used in partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE. Jeffreys said it could be months before the facility reaches its contracted capacity and therefore benefits from the full federal per diems.”First of July to get to that 300 capacity,” Jeffreys said. “That’s when we will see those annual dividends.”‘A central Midwest hub for ICE’: Immigration detention facility announced in NebraskaFigures from the Deportation Data Project at the University of California, Berkeley Law School show that between November and March 10, the facility’s daily population peaked at 171 detainees on Feb. 9. On that date, just over half of those held were categorized as “convicted criminals” by the data project, according to the data.The figures raise questions about a statement made last year by Gov. Jim Pillen, who said ICE operations would focus on individuals with criminal records.”ICE is here to focus on criminals,” Pillen said in August 2025. “They’re here to focus on people that have come in in the last years, and have done criminal activity.”Grant Friedman, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Nebraska, said his experience representing detainees suggests a different reality. “All of the clients that we have had have minimal to no criminal history,” Friedman said. “I just don’t think the ‘worst of the worst’ and criminals is an accurate way to describe the population that is there.”Friedman said he’s helped secure the release of some people he argued were unlawfully detained in McCook. He also criticized broader immigration enforcement efforts and said the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services needs to be more transparent.”We just continue to see this increased attack on our immigrant community, a direct affront to the due process rights of every person that is within the United States,” he said. “I would like to see the consistency of you’re either going to be an ICE facility and follow ICE rules, or you’re going to be an NDCS facility and follow NDCS rules. But it does feel at this moment like they are picking which ones apply, in which circumstances, to their benefit.”PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Gov. Jim Pillen announces agreement for new ICE detention facility in McCook, NebraskaJeffreys said the agreement with ICE is expected to generate about $14.2 million annually for the state. As of February, the partnership had brought in $4.4 million, he said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |