Red Willow County NE — Local and legal opposition to Cornhusker Clink conversion
Overview
When Governor Pillen announced the conversion of the McCook Work Ethic Camp into an ICE detention center in August 2025, it triggered opposition from McCook residents, state lawmakers, and civil rights organizations. However, legal challenges failed to stop the facility from opening.
Opposition Tracks
Local Resident Lawsuit
McCook residents filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the conversion. A Red Willow County District Court judge denied a temporary injunction, allowing the facility to proceed.
Legislative Opposition
- State lawmakers sought a legislative hearing into the plans (August 2025)
- A state lawmaker was twice denied entry to inspect the facility (December 2025), calling it a violation of state law
Civil Rights Organizations
- ACLU of Nebraska: Filed multiple federal lawsuits on behalf of detainees (Feb 2026); challenged attorney access conditions
- Nebraska Appleseed: Issued public statement opposing the facility
ACLU Federal Litigation (2026)
Rather than challenging the facility’s existence, ACLU lawsuits target individual detention conditions:
- Due process violations (indefinite detention after removal orders)
- Bond hearing denials
- Attorney-client access restrictions
Why Opposition Failed
- State-level decision: The facility is state-owned and state-operated; county government had no approval authority
- Governor’s executive power: Pillen positioned this as a national security partnership
- Financial incentive: $14.25M net annual revenue to the state
- Political environment: Strong pro-enforcement sentiment in rural southwest Nebraska
Why It Matters
This demonstrates the limits of local opposition when a state government directly partners with federal immigration enforcement. Unlike county jail IGSAs (where county boards can block contracts, as in Douglas County), the McCook conversion bypassed local democratic accountability.