Nebraska residents pack a Capitol hearing room Friday to oppose Governor Jim Pillen’s plans to turn the McCook Work Ethic Camp into an ICE detention facility.
The plan would repurpose the low-security camp into a holding center for individuals whom Immigration and Customs Enforcement intends to deport.
Over nearly four hours, dozens of testifiers criticized Pillen's proposal and said the planned facility was inconsistent with Nebraska values. No one testified in support of the proposal.
Local officials have raised questions about the plans, including how the public will be protected.
The Department of Correctional Services issued a new release Friday afternoon, saying the facility would house an adult population with minor criminal records and nonviolent felonies.