KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
KSHB 41’s Rachel Henderson followed up with residents she met at the station’s “Let’s Talk” event to discuss the ongoing conflict between the City of Leavenworth and CoreCivic, a private prison company that wants to open an ICE detention facility in town.
These discussions come a week after CoreCivic filed a counter-suit to the city of Leavenworth’s second suit against the company.
Leavenworth County District Court Judge John J. Bryant filed an official ruling Friday in favor of the city, agreeing that CoreCivic needs a special use permit to reopen an ICE detention facility.
Bryant has yet to decide on CoreCivic’s motion to reconsider his initial ruling.
He did, however, note in response to CoreCivic’s suit that their initial filing, submitted at 11:51 p.m. on July 4, did not have the correct county designation, case number or case caption, meaning the city was listed as the defendant on the document, but the plaintiff in party information.
Thus, the filing was rejected and resubmitted on July 8, the day after CoreCivic’s lead attorney, Taylor Hausmann, announced during a hearing that CoreCivic filed a suit in district court as well, to the judge and city’s surprise.
CoreCivic's suit centers around a March 25 resolution the city passed, outlining CoreCivic's need to obtain a special use permit.
CoreCivic argues the city did not give advanced notice about this resolution that would no longer classify its facility as exempt from the city's new zoning regulations.
The company says the city did not conduct the proper hearing necessary for an entity appealing the resolution, which CoreCivic says it did.
CoreCivic has made the argument at previous hearings, but this separate suit goes in depth about the desire to have the court reverse the March 25 decision and conduct a jury trial.
There's also the possibility the judge could consolidate the cases into one because they're on the same overarching topic.
“We don’t have any comment at this time other than our city attorneys are aware of it and are currently reviewing it,” said Scott Peterson, Leavenworth’s city manager, who was present at the July 7 hearing via email Tuesday
Brian Todd, CoreCivic’s Manager of Public Affairs, emailed the following statement Tuesday:
“Regarding last week's hearing and any other court documents that have been filed, we do not have any updates to share beyond the fact that we are pursuing all avenues to find a successful conclusion to this matter,” the statement read. “We maintain the position that our facility, which we've operated for almost 30 years, does not require a Special Use Permit to care for detainees in partnership with ICE. CoreCivic respects the judicial process, understands the judge's original spoken order, and has shared this with our partners at ICE. We look forward to the next steps in presenting our position to the court.”
The disagreement between CoreCivic and the city isn’t the only disagreement in town.
Residents in Leavenworth can agree on one thing and disagree on another.
Take Rick Hammett and Brendale Wakeley, two residents Henderson met separately at “Let’s Talk” in Leavenworth, hosted at Harbor Lights Coffee House.
As for the town, they’re on the same page.
“The atmosphere, it's just so homey,” Wakeley said.
Hammett, a Leavenworth resident of a few years, is fond of Kansas as a whole.
“A kind of peaceful that isn't anywhere else,” Hammett said.
Their opinions differ when it comes to the idea of having an ICE detention center in their town.
“It's just fundamentally wrong,” Hammett said. “The suit and the counter suit are directly at odds with one another.”
Wakeley, who’s lived in Leavenworth for 20 years because of the military, is on a different end of the spectrum.
“I have no problem with it being here,” she said.
Hammett, who is active with the CoreCivic Opposition Group and other local grassroots organizations, feels like CoreCivic is steamrolling its plan.
“'Hey, 'This is happening in your backyard, and you can do nothing about it,’” Hammett said. “That drives people insane.”
After two decades in town, Wakeley can’t help but question the opposition.
“Since we got all these other prisons around, what's wrong with adding another one?” she asked. “But, I also see the other side of it, they want to keep it small.”
CoreCivic says it plans to hire 300 full-time employees.
It will pay the city more than $1 million a year in taxes and fees.
“It would bring money to the community, and also it would bring jobs,” Wakeley said.
Hammett’s bigger problem is the morality of detaining immigrants, especially 1,000 at a time like CoreCivic plans to.
“There are people that are going to be put in that facility, held there, and shipped across the world away from their families,” Hammett said.
He was adamant about referring to CoreCivic as the Corrections Corporation of America, its name before changing in 2017.
Hammett’s one of several people in opposition who have called attention to a history of violence at CoreCivic’s former Leavenworth Detention Center.
‘It’s honestly been like a little bit inspiring just to see how many people are coming out of the woodworks and are saying, ’No, this is wrong, I want no part of it,’” Hammett said.
Wakeley says she wants to see a better Leavenworth overall.
“I want to help with the change,” Wakeley said. “I don’t like staying in a rut. I want to improve the city.”
She and Hammett are on the same page about that, their methods of doing so are just different.
They both agree there’s no easy solution for the town they call home.
“Leavenworth has a lot of potential,” Wakeley said.
The next in-person hearing at the Leavenworth County Courthouse is at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
CoreCivic Opposition Group is hosting a pots and pans march at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, from 519 Osage Street to Haymarket Square.
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