KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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The heated dispute over a proposed ICE detention facility in Leavenworth continued Tuesday night with an hours-long public hearing.
The Tuesday night meeting was the first of two meetings in Leavenworth as city officials work to decide whether to allow a former private prison to reopen as an ICE detention center.
KSHB 41 News has been covering the issue and lawsuits extensively, sharing numerous voices of those for and against the proposal.
The City of Leavenworth has maintained CoreCivic, a private prison company, must get a special use permit to operate the facility. That requirement has been at the center of an ongoing legal dispute.
The Leavenworth City Commission listened to more than 60 people who signed up for public comment. They shared either their support and or opposition to CoreCivic's proposed detention center.
For many at Tuesday's public hearing, the decision was personal.
Many residents don't want CoreCivic back in Leavenworth operating a detention center. Others argue for the economic benefits the company would bring.
"Please vote no on the special use permit," one neighbor in opposition urged the commission.
"Reopening this facility has the potential to make a meaningful difference to our county," another neighbor in support of the detention center told the city commission.
Jeff Fagan, a former corrections officer, explained the project could bring revenue and hundreds of jobs to a historic prison town.
"We are at a point where we're struggling," Fagan said. "[The job] is over $28 an hour, which way exceeds the base wage of most jobs in Leavenworth."
But those who oppose the detention center say the economic benefit doesn't justify other costs.
Religious leaders, like First Lutheran Church Pastor Samantha Nichols, voiced their concerns against CoreCivic's history in Leavenworth and what they see as a lack of transparency from the company.
"The history of abuse under CoreCivic is absolutely atrocious and we do not want CoreCivic back in our community," Nichols said. "We’re looking for transparency, asking for accountability and will continue the fight to say no to CoreCivic and other detention facilities like it.”
The argument is also happening at the court level, as CoreCivic argues they don't need a special use permit to operate their detention facility.
The Leavenworth City Commission voted Tuesday night to advance the special use permit for a second reading at its meeting on March 10. That's when the Commission is expected to make a final decision.
CoreCivic's senior director of public affiars, Ryan Gustin, responded to KSHB 41 News request for comment with a statement.
For more than 40 years, CoreCivic has played a limited but important role in America’s immigration system. We know this is a highly charged, emotional issue for many people, but the fact is the services we provide help the government solve problems in ways it could not do alone – to help create safer communities by assisting with the current immigration challenges, dramatically improve the standard of care for the detainee population, and meet other critical needs efficiently and innovatively. We respect everyone's right to share their opinions and beliefs in a constructive and peaceful way.
CoreCivic remains firmly committed to operating a safe, transparent and accountable facility at our Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC), here in Leavenworth. While we maintain our legal position related to the need for a special use permit (SUP), we have worked collaboratively with city staff to address concerns raised by the community as part of the SUP process, and we are grateful for that collaboration. This collaboration has resulted in both a staff recommendation for approval of our SUP application as well as an affirmative vote from the Planning Commission.
We remain grateful to the local residents, business owners, and our dedicated MRRC staff members who have expressed their support for this facility and the many benefits it will bring to Leavenworth and the surrounding communities. We're thankful for the time taken by the Leavenworth City Commission to listen to everyone's perspective and appreciate the opportunity we were given to answer the City Commissioners’ questions. We will continue to work collaboratively towards a mutually beneficial outcome as we follow the SUP process.
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