A group of Nebraska lawmakers is calling for greater transparency and legislative oversight regarding Governor Jim Pillen’s plan to convert the state prison in McCook into an immigration detention facility operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a letter to Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Carolyn Bosn, 13 senators — led by Omaha’s Megan Hunt — urged that a public hearing be held to ensure Nebraskans are informed and that the Legislature fulfills its constitutional duty over state prisons.
Lawmakers say they were given no meaningful notice before Pillen announced last week that Nebraska would evacuate its 200-bed minimum-security prison to make way for ICE detainees, raising questions about both constitutional authority and the impact on Nebraska’s overcrowded prison system. Pillen has said violent offenders would not be housed at the facility, though a formal contract with the federal government has not yet been signed.
In their letter, the senators stressed that the issue is not about partisanship but about process, accountability, and protecting Nebraskans. Meanwhile, protests have already taken place in McCook and outside the Governor’s Mansion, with local residents voicing concerns about who will be detained there. Bosn has not yet said whether she will schedule a hearing, while the Governor’s office maintains he has been transparent and is willing to answer questions when asked.
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