Overview

ICE awarded CoreCivic a six-month no-bid contract to reactivate a 1,033-bed former federal prison in Leavenworth, Kansas as a Midwest Regional Reception Center for ICE detainees. After a year of legal wrangling and intense community opposition, the Leavenworth City Commission voted 4-1 on March 10, 2026 to grant CoreCivic a special use permit, clearing the way for the facility to open.

Key Details

• Capacity: 1,033 beds (permit cap of 1,104 detainees)
• Operator: CoreCivic
• Contract type: Six-month no-bid contract, three-year initial term
• Estimated annual revenue: $60 million (CoreCivic estimate)
• Community payments: One-time $1 million payment to city + hundreds of thousands annually
• Jobs: ~300 new positions, starting salary $28.25/hour
• Status: Permit approved — March 10, 2026; opening date not disclosed

Timeline

• 2021: CoreCivic closed the Leavenworth prison after losing federal contracts
• 2025: CoreCivic secured new ICE contract to reopen as Midwest Regional Reception Center
• June 4, 2025: Leavenworth County District Court judge temporarily blocked CoreCivic from housing detainees, ruling a special use permit was required
• December 8, 2025: CoreCivic changed course, applied for special use permit
• February 2, 2026: Leavenworth Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend approval
• February 11, 2026: Over 100 protesters gathered outside city hall
• February 25, 2026: Opponents made final push at public hearing; 42 spoke against, only 3 in favor; 2 arrested, others ejected
• March 10, 2026: City Commission voted 4-1 to grant permit with conditions including community review board

Zoning Fight

The city argued the reopening required a special-use permit under zoning rules adopted in 2012, triggering months of litigation before the Kansas Court of Appeals ruled CoreCivic must obtain city approval. Despite overwhelming public opposition at hearings, commissioners voted to approve, citing financial benefits. Commissioner Pittman stated: “Tonight’s vote is about a special use permit. It is not a vote on federal immigration policy.”

Permit conditions include formation of a community review board for accountability and transparency. CoreCivic has not disclosed when operations would begin; ongoing litigation between the company and city may still affect timeline.

Regional Significance

Leavenworth is positioned as a Midwest regional hub for ICE detention. With the KC mega-center warehouse blocked (see kansas-city-mo-platform-ventures) and Chase County’s 148-bed jail overwhelmed, this 1,033-bed facility becomes the primary large-scale detention capacity in the Kansas City metro area.

Sources

• KCUR: ICE detention center can open after Leavenworth granted permit (Mar 10, 2026)
• Axios KC: Leavenworth approves permit for ICE detention center (Mar 11, 2026)
• KCUR: Opponents make final push (Feb 25, 2026)
• KCTV5: More than 100 protest (Feb 11, 2026)
• KSHB: Planning Commission votes 5-1 (Feb 2, 2026)
• KCUR: CoreCivic changes course, will ask for permit (Dec 8, 2025)
• KCUR: Court temporarily blocks opening (Jun 4, 2025)
• CoreCivic renews contract with ICE — KSHB
• CoreCivic Q4 Earnings Call Highlights — Daily Political
• CoreCivic prison company will rake in $300 million from new ICE contracts — Times of San Diego