On August 19, 2025, Nebraska became the latest state to announce the opening of a new immigration detention center, this one with a distinctly local moniker: the "Cornhusker Clink." The facility, set to be located in the remote city of McCook, Nebraska, marks another step in the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to expand the nation’s immigration enforcement infrastructure. The move has already sparked debate and protest across the state, underscoring the contentious nature of immigration policy in the American heartland.
McCook, a city of about 7,000 people nestled between Denver and Omaha, will soon be home to a detention center designed to house immigrants awaiting deportation and other immigration proceedings. The facility will be situated at the existing Work Ethic Camp (WEC), a minimum-security prison work camp. According to the Associated Press, the center will initially accommodate 200 detainees, with plans to expand capacity to 300 in the future. The site is expected to serve as a Midwest hub, holding detainees from several states.
Governor Jim Pillen, a Republican, made the announcement alongside Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Both officials emphasized safety and security as primary motivations behind the plan. "This is about keeping Nebraskans – and Americans across our country – safe," Pillen stated during a news conference, as reported by KOLN. Secretary Noem echoed this sentiment, saying, "If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Nebraska’s Cornhusker Clink. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App."
The agreement to repurpose the McCook facility is part of a broader series of state-federal partnerships supporting President Donald Trump’s push to increase deportations. As detailed by the Associated Press, the Trump administration has been rapidly adding new detention centers across the country to hold the growing number of immigrants arrested and accused of being in the U.S. illegally. In June 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) centers were holding more than 56,000 immigrants—the highest number since 2019.
The Cornhusker Clink follows the naming convention of other recently established or planned detention centers, including "Alligator Alcatraz" in Florida, "Deportation Depot" in north Florida, and "Speedway Slammer" in Indiana. The Florida Everglades facility, for example, can hold up to 3,000 detainees in temporary tent structures and has been described by President Trump as a potential model for future lockups nationwide. However, the Florida center has also become the subject of legal challenges, with attorneys alleging violations of due process, limited access to courts, and poor living conditions, according to the Associated Press.
Nebraska’s approach is somewhat different. The McCook facility is already set up and accredited to hold prisoners, so detainees won’t be housed in tents or other temporary quarters. Rob Jeffreys, director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, explained that the 186 inmates currently at the Work Ethic Camp will be transferred to other state facilities over the next 45 to 60 days. The repurposed detention center will remain under state control but will be funded by the federal government. A three-year agreement is reportedly in negotiation, and the initial arrangement will last for 365 days.
Support for the new detention center comes with a strong show of state and federal cooperation. Governor Pillen announced that about 20 Nebraska National Guard soldiers will provide administrative and logistical support to Nebraska-based immigration agents. The soldiers are expected to begin training immediately and will be deployed to ICE offices in Omaha, Grand Island, and North Platte after Labor Day. The Nebraska State Patrol will also be involved, with six state troopers undergoing special training to help federal immigration agents make arrests. Colonel Bryan Waugh, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said the troopers will join roughly 300 other law enforcement officers nationwide who have received similar training.
Despite the official optimism, the plan has not been without controversy. State Senator Megan Hunt, an independent, voiced strong concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the project. In a video posted to social media, she blasted the governor and executive branch for failing to fulfill her requests for emails and other records related to the facility. "The No. 1 thing we need to do is protect our neighbors, protect the people in our communities who are being targeted by these horrible people, these horrible organizations that are making choices to lock up, detain, disappear our neighbors and families and friends," Hunt said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
Protests quickly followed the announcement. On the afternoon of August 19, about half a dozen demonstrators gathered outside the governor’s office in Lincoln, holding signs that read “No Nazi Nebraska” and “ICE = Gestapo.” Emily Pietrzak, one of the protesters, explained her motivation: "I believe our government is hurting people who live in our country and I think we should stand up for each other." Another local resident, Maghie Miller-Jenkins of Lincoln, questioned the state’s priorities, saying, "This state has numerous things they could focus on that would benefit the constituents," and pointed to issues like child hunger and homelessness as more pressing concerns.
Local officials in McCook are also seeking more information. Mayor Linda Taylor described a recent meeting with Governor Pillen and other county officials as brief and light on details. “I know our community has questions. ... We will work cooperatively with the governor’s team and with ICE to learn more and to communicate to everyone what we are learning,” she said at Tuesday’s news conference, according to KOLN. Taylor promised transparency and ongoing communication with residents as the project moves forward.
Advocacy groups have weighed in as well. Nebraska Appleseed, a non-profit focused on immigrant rights, issued a statement saying, “This is not who we are. Nebraska is a state that welcomes our neighbors and values the contributions of local moms, dads, coworkers, neighbors, and friends. Nebraskans do not want us to be known as a state that separates families and locks up and detains members of our communities. ...Nebraskans want policy change, not punishment.”
The Cornhusker Clink is just one part of a nationwide expansion of detention facilities, with similar projects underway or planned in Tennessee and Indiana, in addition to the two Florida centers. Each has sparked its own unique blend of support, legal challenges, and local opposition. In Nebraska, as elsewhere, the debate over immigration enforcement is likely to continue, with state and federal officials pressing forward even as community members and activists push back.
As the McCook facility prepares to transition from a minimum-security work camp to a federal detention center, Nebraskans—and Americans nationwide—are watching closely to see how this latest chapter in the country’s immigration story will unfold.
