Nebraska congressman on state immigration enforcement, funding and elections

(MCCOOK, NEBRASKA) Nebraska will expand its role in federal immigration enforcement this fall, with the Department of Homeland Security partnering with state leaders to add up to 280 beds for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Work Ethic Camp in McCook. The state-run site—nicknamed the “Cornhusker Clink” by supporters of the project—will be used to hold people arrested by ICE who have criminal records, according to state and federal officials who announced the plan in August 2025.

The move comes alongside a push to deepen state-federal cooperation, add staff, and direct more federal money into detention and enforcement.

What the expansion entails

• The McCook facility will add up to 280 beds for ICE detainees.
• Nebraska will enter a 287(g) agreement with ICE, enabling trained state officers to perform limited federal immigration duties.
• The Nebraska National Guard will provide administrative and logistical support—about 20 Army National Guard soldiers will begin training in late August 2025.
• Federal appropriations described as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” underwrite the expansion, including funding for 80,000 ICE detention beds nationwide and a plan to hire 10,000 new ICE officers over five years.

Key link: More information about the 287(g) program is available on ICE’s official page: https://www.ice.gov/identify-and-arrest/287g

How the process will work in Nebraska

1. ICE identifies and arrests people who have criminal records.
2. Arrestees are booked into the McCook facility—the “Cornhusker Clink”—which adds up to 280 beds.
3. Nebraska State Patrol, operating under the 287(g) agreement, assists with immigration processing and coordination alongside ICE.
4. Nebraska National Guard personnel provide administrative and logistical support (not arrests).
5. Detainees are processed for removal or for possible relief under existing federal programs.

State–Federal enforcement shift: supporters’ view

Supporters argue the plan addresses overcrowding and speeds case resolution:

• The 287(g) agreement allows trained state troopers to perform certain immigration actions previously handled by federal officers.
• Proponents say this will result in:
  • Faster processing and more referrals to ICE
  • More people held at McCook while cases advance
  • Improved efficiencies in bookings, court coordination, and transport scheduling

Officials note the National Guard’s non-law enforcement role is designed to ease practical pressures—handling paperwork, transport, and data—so troopers and ICE agents can focus on arrests and casework.

Critics’ concerns and community impact

Opponents warn of broader harms to immigrant communities:

• Risk of sweeping up longtime residents and straining families, especially in mixed-status households.
• Potential chilling effect on reporting crimes—victims and witnesses may avoid police for fear of immigration consequences.
• Civil rights and oversight concerns when local jails and state facilities serve as de facto federal detention sites without federal transparency protections.
• Particular worry for children whose parents may be detained far from home.

Groups such as Nebraska Appleseed highlight these risks and caution that expanded detention and 287(g) participation could destabilize communities.

Political context and funding battles

• The expansion comes as Congress debates immigration spending. In May 2025, the House passed a budget bill including $150 billion for immigration enforcement—reportedly a 13-fold increase in ICE’s detention budget and changes affecting children’s protections. That bill faces resistance from advocacy groups and some lawmakers.
• The federal package—dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—also funded the 287(g) program, the 80,000 detention-bed expansion, and funding to hire 10,000 ICE officers plus retention bonuses.
• Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE, 2nd District) is a central figure in local debate:
  • He supports enforcing the law and detaining violent offenders but has mixed feelings about expanding detention.
  • He has voiced concerns about fear in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods (e.g., South Omaha) and urged leaders to avoid policies that make people feel hunted.
  • He is a co-sponsor of the Dignity Act of 2025, a proposal to let undocumented workers obtain work permits and pursue legal status over time.
  • Bacon also worked within budget negotiations to preserve funding for programs like PEPFAR and local public media—he voted for a rescission bill after assurances that 92% of PEPFAR funding would be restored and that public media would retain federal support.

Local implications: courts, services, and employers

• Local sheriffs and county courts may face higher bookings, more court coordination, and transportation demands.
• Defense attorneys in Omaha, Lincoln, and central Nebraska expect increased demand for legal help to assess eligibility for relief.
• Social service agencies are preparing for higher demand for housing, food, and school counseling when breadwinners are detained.
• For families and employers, practical concerns include:
  • Workers with old misdemeanors or prior arrests may be more likely to be flagged during stops or checks once 287(g) is active.
  • Parents may need childcare plans if a breadwinner is detained.
  • Employers and communities reliant on immigrant labor worry about labor shortages and stability.

Broader debate: policy, due process, and future outlook

Supporters say the goal is to hold accused or convicted people with criminal histories during proceedings, reduce failures to appear, and remove those found deportable after due process.

Critics respond that mass detention is a blunt instrument that does not address underlying issues like:

• Labor shortages
• Immigration backlogs
• Need for legal pathways for long-term residents and workers

Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests Nebraska’s expansion will likely increase detention of people with criminal records and sharpen debate over the appropriate scope of state participation in federal immigration enforcement.

What’s next

• State and federal officials say Nebraska’s model could become a template for other states seeking to expand detention and formalize cooperation via 287(g).
• More buildouts are possible if federal funding continues under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” framework and related appropriations.
• The future of the House enforcement package and the Dignity Act of 2025 remains uncertain; outcomes will shape how Nebraska balances increased enforcement with longer-term immigration solutions.

Important takeaway: The coming months will test whether Nebraska can implement tougher enforcement measures while maintaining trust with communities that supply much of the state’s workforce—farm labor, care facilities, and manufacturing—and while addressing concerns about family unity, due process, and oversight.