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 reading back on Feb. 24.
Now, the approved special use permit will allow CoreCivic to repurpose its former federal prison as an ICE detention facility.
"... 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, who 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," said Leavenworth County resident Kate Johnson, who got in line to speak at City Hall at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. "It’s likely to do that again."
The private prison company has also faced legal challenges throughout this process over the premise of needing a special use permit.
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.
CoreCivic has been firm in its stance that it doesn't need 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.
Most recently, the Kansas Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the city, leaving the final decision in the city's hands to decide the outcome.
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The project could bring hundreds of jobs and economic relief to Leavenworth, according to supporters.
CoreCivic has promised to create about 300 jobs with a starting salary of $28.25/hour.
The company has 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.
CoreCivic sent a statement to KSHB 41 on Friday, maintaining its commitment to working "collaboratively with city staff to address concerns."
"CoreCivic remains firmly committed to operating a safe, transparent and accountable facility at our Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC) in Leavenworth. While we maintain our legal position related to the need for a special use permit (SUP), we have been and will continue working 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."
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