Nebraska Senators Demand Hearing on McCook ICE Detention Plan

August 27, 2025

McCOOK, Neb. — Thirteen Nebraska state senators are calling for a public hearing after Gov. Jim Pillen announced plans to convert the Work Ethic Camp (WEC) in McCook into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility. Lawmakers say the decision was made without legislative approval, public input or transparency.

In a letter sent Wednesday to Sen. Carolyn Bosn, chair of the Judiciary Committee, the senators urged the committee to hold a public interim study hearing to address unanswered questions about the agreement.

“There was no meaningful prior notice to local or state officials regarding this agreement or its terms,” the senators wrote. “The Governor’s disregard for including the Legislature—the people’s branch—is problematic.”

Concerns over authority and impact

The letter questions whether Pillen has the authority to unilaterally hand control of a state correctional facility to the federal government. Senators also raised concerns about how the move would affect Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) staff and inmates, given the state’s ongoing issues with overcrowding and understaffing in prisons.

Among the questions raised:

• Under what authority can the governor convert a state prison into an ICE detention facility?

• Where will Nebraskans currently incarcerated at WEC be moved?

• How will the agreement affect NDCS staff already strained by staffing shortages?

• Who will be detained in McCook — “low-risk detainees,” as Pillen initially stated, or “the worst of the worst,” as DHS officials later claimed?

Political and correctional context

The Work Ethic Camp, located in McCook, is currently a minimum-security prison for men. Senators noted the facility has been used to help relieve overcrowding in the state system, and argued that giving it up to federal use could worsen the crisis elsewhere.

On social media, Sen. Megan Hunt (Omaha) criticized the deal as “ethically wrong in 100 ways” and reiterated the demand for a hearing. “Decisions of this magnitude cannot be made behind closed doors,” she wrote.

Gov. Pillen announced the plan on Aug. 19, framing it as part of a partnership with federal authorities to support deportation efforts. “I am pleased that our facility and team in McCook can be tasked with helping our federal partners protect our homeland by housing criminal illegal aliens roaming our country’s communities today,” Pillen said in his statement.

What’s next

Senators are urging Bosn to use her authority as Judiciary Chair to convene a public hearing under LR 108, an interim study resolution she introduced earlier this year. Bosn has not yet taken a public position on the McCook agreement.

If a hearing is scheduled, it would give state leaders, prison staff and the public an opportunity to question the Governor’s office, NDCS, and DHS officials about the agreement.