1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my vehement opposition to the Nebraska state and federal governments’ decision to repurpose the McCook Work Ethic Camp into an immigration detention facility — ridiculously dubbed the “Cornhusker Clink.” The secret process by which this plan has been rolled out is unacceptable. State Sen. Megan Hunt decried the administration’s refusal to release emails or documents related to this decision, characterizing the plan as being made behind closed doors. She—and countless Nebraskans—are rightly alarmed by this deliberate secrecy. While proponents frame this as a matter of public safety and local investment, taxpayer dollars and state resources are being diverted toward increasing incarceration capacity rather than meeting basic - and critical - community needs. ACLU-affiliated advocates and community organizers argue Nebraska’s higher priorities are addressing real crises in our state like child hunger and homelessness — real needs that this plan ignores. Moreover, deportation and mass detention will devastate local economies. Immigrants contribute billions annually and support vital industries such as meat processing and construction. Their removal will lead to labor shortages, higher prices, and regional economic decline. Far more concerning, these facilities regularly violate fundamental civil liberties. The ACLU and other civil rights groups have long documented how ICE detainer programs lack due process and impose broad, indiscriminate detention. A notable case in Nebraska involved a Guatemalan worker who, despite being granted bond, was held for weeks; only after ACLU intervention was he finally released. This illegal pattern underscores how such facilitates egregious violations of rights, undercutting the rule of law. As Nebraska’s representatives, we expect you to: * Release all relevant communications and policy documents concerning this decision. * Funnel investments into addressing homelessness, food insecurity, and rural economic development—not incarceration. * Ensure detainees have access to bond hearings, legal representation, and humane living conditions. * Ensure that DHS and state officials are held responsible for violations and that any plans transparently adhere to constitutional and humanitarian standards. We will NOT stand by while Nebraskans are forced to subsidize mass detention, and while human rights and constitutional principles are dismantled in our country.