KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Ryan first reported on this topic last week after fielding calls about the story. He's dedicated to hearing your voice and sharing your perspective on both sides of the argument. If you want your voice to be shared, reach out to him. He cannot do it without you. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Cass County, Missouri, residents and officials continue to share their voices about a proposition to bring an ICE detention and processing center to the county.
It comes as Kansas City and Jackson County lawmakers pushed back on the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement's interest in a warehouse in South Kansas City.
ICE has shown interest in existing warehouses that could hold 10,000 beds.
"We need it, but a lot of people don’t want it that close," Troy Fellers a Cass County resident from Pleasant Hill, Mo., told KSHB 41's Cass County Reporter Ryan Gamboa on Monday afternoon.
U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-Missouri), who represents Missouri's 4th Congressional District, sent a letter Friday to ICE welcoming the agency into the county.
Cass County Presiding Commissioner Bob Huston told Gamboa in an interview on Friday the county supports its law enforcement partners and would welcome the opportunity to create jobs and bring in more federal money.
"You go anywhere in our county — it’s a great place to live, raise families, with low crime," Huston said. "This would just be another great opportunity for our county to bring something like this here."
Residents have expressed their opinions online and in KSHB 41's reporting, with some in favor of an ICE facility in county, while others oppose the idea.
Gamboa visited Harrisonville on Monday afternoon to gather more feedback from residents.
"I don’t like the violent way they’re treating these people," said Jaenna Jackson, an Archie, Missouri, resident. "Everyone is a human being and should be treated with love and respect, not violence."
KSHB 41 spoke to numerous residents from Cass County and surrounding communities.
Most of the residents willing to be interviewed were opposed to any ICE detention center projects.
On Friday, Gamboa reported on a property in Belton where the county is willing to work with ICE and a developer to build a detention facility.
The land is vacant, but plans were scrapped to build a North Annex to allow the Cass County, Missouri, Sheriff's Office to expand.
Rep. Alford told KSHB 41 there's other sites along Interstate 49 in Cass County that could also work, including 70 acres of county-owned property in Harrisonville.
"There are other optional sites, including the criminal justice center site further south in Cass County," Alford said. "There’s 70 acres the county owns, the Harrisonville Airport is across the highway. That would be another ideal location. That won’t be my place to decide, but the county commission's and those in charge here in Cass County."
On Friday, a spokesperson for Harrisonville told Gamboa on the phone it had not been notified by Congressman Alford or county officials about the idea.
The city spokesperson confirmed two parcels adjacent to the Cass County Justice Center sat in the city's limits.
Harrisonville officials would not comment on the news without seeing any formal plan or proposal.
"I think we’re a long way from discussion or if they even have a discussion with us," Huston said.
In a press release sent to KSHB 41 News, the Cass County Sheriff's Office did not clearly comment on its stance regarding the land near the Cass County Justice Center.
The sheriff's office explained rising construction costs were delaying the project.
"We took a 30-day break on this [Annex site]," Huston said on Friday. "I didn't know anything about this until I got a call last night [Thursday] asking us to come up and speak with Mr. Alford and if we'd be interested in working with the ICE facility somewhere in Cass County. He brought up this place here and some other places here."
Alford explained the Harrisonville Airport could also be a partner in helping transport detainees out of the area.
"This gives DHS an option, a supportive option of a community, a city, a county, a Congressional district that actually wants to help," he said.
Damon Malone, a Belton resident who lives near 155th Street and North Scott Avenue, told Gamboa on Friday he's in favor of the project.
"We want people in our nation, by all means, but they need to come in right with proper visas, have something to offer the American citizens and to our nation," he said. "As long as they’re a citizen, or here on a legal visa, or not committed a crime, they have nothing to fear."
County residents on Monday asked decision makers to hear their voices on the detention center idea.
"Everybody has a voice, that’s what makes America so great," Jaenna Jackson said. "It’s not just one person is catered to. We put our views together and come together as a people. I know Bob, I work with Bob right here at the Family Center, he’s a great guy. But we need to be hearing everybody’s voice, not just the Republicans or just the Democrats."
Huston said no project will move forward without a public hearing and collaboration between the county and city.
KSHB 41 News will continue to follow up on this story.
If you have a story idea or a perspective you'd like to share, email Ryan.Gamboa@kshb.com.
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