Cornhusker State News

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen has announced the publication of a contract between the state and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use the Work Ethic Camp (WEC) in McCook as a federal detention center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The facility, managed by the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS), is expected to be ready to accept detainees before November 1. The base monthly payment for this arrangement will be $2.4 million.

Governor Pillen expressed his appreciation for federal support, stating, “I’m very grateful to President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for their strong leadership in securing our nation’s southern border and addressing illegal immigration through initiatives like this.” He also thanked Director Jeffreys and the NDCS team for their work with DHS and ICE during preparations.

The decision to convert WEC into a detention facility was first announced on August 19 at a news conference in McCook. At that time, Governor Pillen said Nebraska would support DHS and local ICE officials in enforcing immigration laws, including repurposing WEC within 45 to 60 days. Since then, NDCS has made modifications to accommodate incoming detainees, and all remaining inmates were transferred last week.

According to state officials, shifting WEC from a state correctional facility to an ICE detention center will result in cost savings. The annual operating cost for WEC as a state facility was $10.2 million. Under the new agreement, compensation paid to NDCS will total approximately $2,456,138.64 per month based on projected usage and service costs. After accounting for increased population and staffing expenses, Nebraska expects net revenue of about $14.25 million annually from this contract period, which runs until September 29, 2027.

The full contract is available online at https://corrections.nebraska.gov/detention-facility.