KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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The Leavenworth City Commission voted Tuesday to grant CoreCivic a special use permit to operate an ICE detention center.
The commission voted 4-1 to pass the proposal, which was advanced for a second consideration on Feb. 24.
There was an hour of public comment, and at least 100 people signed up to speak, although not all got the chance within the time frame.
With the approved special use permit, CoreCivic can repurpose its former federal prison as an ICE detention facility.
Before taking the vote, several commissioners used words like “agonizing” and “contentious” to describe the process up until Wednesday night's vote.
Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Hollister was the only "no" vote, stating she wanted a two-year option and had concerns about future litigation options.
City staff and commissioners said the permit comes with several regulations meant to hold CoreCivic accountable, including a three-year limit for the permit, creating a community relations board and having no detainees released into the city.
"... We will not give up fighting against ICE detention centers because our communities neither need nor want them, and we are not alone," Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation said in a statement.
Before Tuesday’s vote, CoreCivic’s attempts to reopen its facility were met with opposition from community members.
They pointed out past safety and management issues during multiple public hearings and interviews with KSHB 41.
"We think they’re the same old CoreCivic that was here before, and we know how bad it got. It’s likely to do that again," said Leavenworth County resident Kate Johnson, who got in line at 9 a.m. to speak Tuesday night at the meeting at City Hall.
KSHB 41 Leavenworth reporter Rachel Henderson followed up with Johnson after Tuesday night's vote.
"I think this is all just really disappointing," Johnson said. "Now we have to try to keep our community safe. We’re about to have an ICE detention facility down the road."
The private prison company also faced legal challenges throughout the process over the premise of needing a special use permit.
"They had won every lawsuit and court case that had come before them, and still they chose to vote this way," Johnson said.
The city's argument was that CoreCivic needed to apply for a special use permit in order to reopen after CoreCivic stopped housing inmates in its Leavenworth facility under the Biden administration.
"Disappointment is the biggest understatement," said Dan McIntosh, a resident opposed to CoreCivic opening the facility. "The city faces protests, the city faces boycotts, our immigrant community goes into hiding. Our minority communities that aren’t even immigrants go into hiding."
McIntosh spoke at a press conference that opponents held Tuesday night after the commission's vote.
CoreCivic has been unyielding on the issue of a special use permit.
It applied for a permit back in March 2025 and then withdrew it weeks later.
In December 2025, it applied a second time after several lawsuits between the two parties.
The Kansas Court of Appeals, in the most recent case, ruled in favor of the city, leaving the final decision in the commission's hands.
RELATED | Leavenworth city leaders hear arguments for, against proposed ICE detention center before March vote
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The project could bring hundreds of jobs and economic relief to Leavenworth, according to supporters.
"You got some hole-in-the-wall style bars, you got a bunch of car washes and you got fast food," said Ted Stoica, a former CoreCivic employee who's in favor of the facility opening.
CoreCivic has promised to create about 300 jobs with a starting salary of $28.25/hour.
The company also committed to paying the city of Leavenworth a one-time impact fee of $1,000,000, a $250,000 annual impact fee, and an additional $150,000 annual impact fee to the police department.
This is in addition to the over $1,000,000 in annual property taxes CoreCivic already pays.
"Anything we can do to bring in tax revenue and jobs in Leavenworth County and fill our industrial parks or facilities that are currently empty, I think we need to take full advantage of that," said Leavenworth resident Brian Kellogg. "Remove the politics around the situation and look at the core benefits to Leavenworth, Kansas, and that’s jobs and taxes."
CoreCivic sent a statement to KSHB 41 after the vote, expressing gratitude for the result.
"CoreCivic thanks the Leavenworth City Commission for their approval of the special use permit for the Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC). We appreciate the collaborative engagement with city staff and the Planning Commission that led to this outcome, and we’re grateful to the community members and MRRC staff who expressed their support throughout the process.
"As we have from the start, CoreCivic remains committed to operating a safe, transparent and accountable facility. We look forward to our continued partnership with the city and to the benefits the MRRC will bring to Leavenworth and the surrounding communities.
"The placement of detainees at MRRC is entirely at the discretion of our government partners at ICE, but the facility and our staff are ready to provide safe, humane care."
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