(NEBRASKA) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the State of Nebraska have agreed to convert the minimum-security McCook Work Ethic Camp into a new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention site, nicknamed the “Cornhusker Clink.” Announced on August 19–20, 2025, state and federal officials said the facility will add hundreds of beds to federal custody capacity as part of a larger expansion of deportation infrastructure under President Trump’s administration. Nebraska leaders say the move will support federal enforcement across the United States 🇺🇸 while critics warn of family disruption and limited transparency.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen framed the partnership as a public safety measure. “We’re stepping up to keep Nebraskans – and Americans across our country – safe,” he said, noting the site will be state-run but fully paid for by the federal government. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem struck a sharper tone: “If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska’s Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self-deport now using the CBP Home App.”
State corrections chief Rob Jeffreys confirmed the McCook Work Ethic Camp is accredited and ready for conversion once current inmates are moved. The state plans to relocate 186 inmates to other Nebraska correctional facilities over 45–60 days, with federal detainees expected to arrive once transfers finish. Officials target an opening by the end of 2025. Initial capacity will be 200 beds, with plans to expand to 280–300 beds. The agreement is a one-year contract with options to renew, and the federal government will cover all operating costs while Nebraska manages day-to-day operations.
The state will also surge personnel support around the launch. About 20 Nebraska National Guard soldiers will provide administrative and logistical help, and the Nebraska State Patrol will assist federal immigration agents in making arrests tied to the new detention pipeline. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the model mirrors recent federal arrangements in which states operate facilities under federal funding to quickly add detention space in regions that lack large ICE-owned centers.
Policy and funding context
The project is powered by the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a federal package passed by Congress in July 2025. The law directs $45 billion to expand ICE detention and nearly $30 billion for ICE staffing and resources, backing an additional 80,000 ICE beds nationwide. DHS officials point to recent large-scale sites—Florida’s 3,000-bed “Alligator Alcatraz” and Indiana’s 1,000-bed “Speedway Slammer”—as examples of the current build-out. Nebraska’s Cornhusker Clink, smaller in size but quick to stand up, fits the same mold.
Under the plan, ICE will send low to medium-risk immigration detainees to McCook. Officials say the site will hold people awaiting deportation or immigration court proceedings who are seen by ICE as a threat to communities but are not convicted murderers. While the state will run the facility, the federal government will fund and direct its use. DHS says the partnership helps place detention capacity closer to interior enforcement routes, aiming to speed transfers to immigration courts and staging for removal flights.
Nebraska leaders argue the set-up is cost-effective for the state since federal funding covers operations while the state deploys an existing site. The McCook location—already secure and accredited—allows a faster launch than a ground-up build. Officials add that expansion beyond 280–300 beds remains possible if demand and funding continue.
Local response and human impact
The project drew immediate pushback from some Nebraska officials and advocates.
- State Senator Megan Hunt criticized what she called a lack of transparency, noting requests for planning records and communications she said remain unfulfilled.
- Nebraska Appleseed, an advocacy group, called the move “part of a harmful, dangerous and rapid expansion” of immigration detention, arguing it runs against Nebraska’s tradition of welcoming newcomers and keeping families together.
For mixed-status families in southwestern Nebraska and nearby states, the facility’s opening could increase the chance that a routine traffic stop or a workplace audit ends in detention. Community groups worry about abrupt separation of parents from children and longer drives to immigration court or legal help.
They have also asked state officials to detail how detainees will access:
– counsel,
– medical care, and
– language services inside the Cornhusker Clink.
State agencies say operations will follow standard custody rules. Because ICE classifies the detainee population as low to medium risk, the McCook site is expected to focus on secure housing, transport coordination, and court scheduling. The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services has emphasized the facility’s accreditation and said it is working on transfers so that ICE can begin placements soon after the camp is vacated. No exact start date for intake has been released, but officials continue to cite an end-of-year opening target.
Important: People who may be affected should track official updates about detention procedures and facility operations.
Timeline and operations at a glance
- Conversion window: 45–60 days to move the current 186 inmates
- Opening target: End of 2025, pending transfer completion
- Capacity: 200 beds on day one; expansion to 280–300 planned
- Funding and control: State-run, federally funded; one-year contract, renewable
- Personnel: About 20 National Guard soldiers for admin/logistics; State Patrol assisting federal arrests
- Detainee profile: Low to medium-risk people in ICE custody, awaiting deportation or immigration hearings
Supporters argue the project will:
– lighten the load on distant facilities,
– reduce transfer times, and
– improve coordination with immigration courts.
Opponents counter that a fast expansion risks:
– poor oversight,
– more detention for people with long U.S. ties, and
– rising strain on small communities near McCook.
National implications and nearby projects
Nationally, Nebraska’s move is part of a broader build-up. Similar projects are underway in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, and Texas, signaling a push by DHS to place more beds across the interior. If the McCook site meets federal goals, Nebraska’s contract could be extended and capacity could grow.
If legal or political challenges gain momentum, timelines could slip or contract terms could change, though officials have not indicated any shift so far.
Operational challenges and civil-rights concerns
As the transition advances, Nebraska will need to balance state prison management with the new federal mission in McCook.
Key operational pressures include:
– compressed timelines for staff reassignments, training, and facility changes due to the 45–60 day inmate transfer window;
– the Nebraska State Patrol’s role in arrests alongside federal agents, which raises questions about coordination, reporting lines, and civil rights training for mixed operations;
– ensuring detainees’ access to legal representation, medical care, language services, and phone communications.
Community groups and legal service providers say they will continue to monitor intake practices at the Cornhusker Clink, including transport times, medical screening, and access to phone calls and counsel.
For federal guidance on detention locations and custody standards, visit ICE’s official site: https://www.ice.gov/detention-facilities.
What to watch next
- Whether intake begins by the end of 2025 as targeted.
- Potential expansion beyond 300 beds if federal demand and funding increase.
- Local and national legal or political challenges that could alter timelines or contract terms.
- Ongoing reporting about detainee services, oversight, and coordination between state and federal agencies.
For now, Nebraska’s message is clear: the McCook Work Ethic Camp is shifting from a state corrections program to a federally funded immigration detention center, with doors set to open by year’s end and room to grow if Washington continues to fund the operation.
This Article in a Nutshell
DHS and Nebraska will convert McCook into the Cornhusker Clink, adding 200 federal detention beds immediately and expanding to 280–300. The one-year, federally funded plan relocates 186 inmates in 45–60 days, uses National Guard support, and targets opening by the end of 2025 amid transparency concerns.
