Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Margery A. Beck at The Associated Press is the basis of this AI-assisted article.
A minimum-security Nebraska state prison in McCook has been converted into a federal immigration detention center and began accepting detainees this week, despite legal challenges and concerns about the state’s already overcrowded prison system.
Some key facts:
• The McCook facility currently holds between 50 and 60 immigrant detainees and is expected to reach its capacity of 200 by Thanksgiving.
• The facility is being expanded in a second phase to accommodate 300 total beds by early next year.
• The prison previously served as the McCook Work Ethic Camp, housing around 180 low-level offenders in rehabilitation programs.
• Low-level offenders from the facility have been relocated, with more than 100 sent to community corrections in Omaha and Lincoln.
• The facility has been nicknamed “Cornhusker Clink” by Nebraska and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials.
• McCook residents and officials were surprised by Gov. Jim Pillen’s August announcement about the conversion.
• A lawsuit filed by 14 McCook residents challenges Pillen’s authority to repurpose the prison without legislative approval.
• Nearly 60,000 people were in immigration detention by mid-September, a 51% increase since January, with about 70% having no criminal record.
This article is written with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence based solely on Washington Times original reporting and wire services. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Ann Wog, Managing Editor for Digital, at awog@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
