Nebraska lawmakers tour McCook ICE jail, call it orderly, clean and say it detains 100-150 migrants [View all]

Source: Nebraska Examiner

Five state senators took Pillen administration offer to tour state prison converted to federal migrant detention center Monday

By: Cindy Gonzalez - December 15, 2025 6:20 pm

LINCOLN — Five of Nebraska’s 49 state lawmakers Monday toured the controversial ICE migrant detention center in McCook, taking the Pillen administration up on a group invite to walk through the converted prison.

The lone Democrat participating, State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, estimated that between 100 and 150 migrants, all of them men, were being held at what state and federal officials call the “Cornhusker Clink.”

State prison officials have declined to provide a detainee population count or daily average, citing security concerns.

Except for new fencing, Juarez said much of the physical facility looked similar to what she had seen when she arrived unannounced inSeptember, when the McCook prison still operated as the state’s Work Ethic Camp, aimed at stepping people toward lives outside of prison.


All 49 Nebraska lawmakers were invited to a group “walkthrough” of the McCook ICE detention center on Monday. Five attended. Some had other commitments by the time they were notified. A few Democrats said they declined in part because they believe state senators have legal right to tour state prison facilities “at any time” and they want legislative leadership to defend the oversight authority. Dec. 15, 2025. (Courtesy of Governor’s Office)


Read more: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/12/15/nebraska-lawmakers-tour-mccook-ice-jail-call-it-orderly-clean-and-say-it-holds-100-150-migrants/