3 weeks ago
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(NewsNation) — A caller immigration detention center successful Nebraska volition "make a large quality for our country," Gov. Jim Pillen told NewsNation.
The facility, dubbed the "Cornhusker Clink," volition springiness national migration officers 280 beds to usage astatine an existing situation enactment campy successful McCook, Nebraska. The prison's existent inmates volition beryllium relocated, and it is expected to unfastened successful the coming months.
"We're really, truly arrogant of the team, what our team's done, and what we're embarking on," Pillen, a Republican, said connected Thursday's airing of "NewsNation Live."
Nebraska is the latest successful a increasing fig of states opening centers aiding successful the Trump administration's migration crackdown. Other locations see the Florida Everglades, extracurricular Indianapolis and astatine Fort Bliss, adjacent El Paso, Texas.
"We'll beryllium successful a determination for the Central Plains," Pillen said. "Obviously, Nebraska is successful the mediate of the United States, volition beryllium capable to person a large interaction connected the ample colonisation successful the foothills of the Rockies."
Pillen besides pointed to adjacent McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport arsenic a perk, allowing Nebraskan officials to determination detainees successful "an expedient way."
Some successful the country person voiced their absorption to the facility, for which the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services would spouse with the Department of Homeland Security.
Around a half-dozen protesters sat successful the hallway extracurricular the governor’s bureau past week with signs reading, “No Nazi Nebraska” and “ICE = Gestapo," the Associated Press reported.
In a video posted to societal media, autarkic authorities Sen. Megan Hunt blasted a deficiency of transparency astir plans for a detention center, citing her unfulfilled petition to the politician and enforcement subdivision for emails and different records.
When asked astir these transparency concerns, Pillen told NewsNation the halfway has been a agelong clip successful the making, with each possibilities considered: "We don't speech astir it until it's acceptable to roll."
"It's an accredited facility. We person a squad of 84 radical successful the Department of Corrections that are outstanding successful what they do," helium added. "We'll person them much trained up. That installation is phenomenally secure, and we tin determination quickly."
The enlargement is portion of President Donald Trump's precocious passed "big, beautiful" taxation cuts and spending package, which provided backing for 80,000 caller beds to beryllium utilized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
