KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.
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Wyandotte County commissioners are exploring policies to prohibit non-municipal detention facilities as discussions intensify around a potential ICE detention center in the Kansas City area.
I was at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, about a year ago when community leaders held a listening session on immigration safety.
As KSHB 41's Wyandotte County reporter, I'm following up with local leaders now that ICE is looking to place a detention center in Kansas City.
The conversations have taken on new urgency after Kansas City, Missouri, passed a ban Thursday prohibiting non-municipal detention facilities within city limits.
"Personally, it hurts me,” Christian Ramirez, Unified Government District 3 Commissioner, whose grandfather opened a grocery store in the Rosedale neighborhood years ago.
“I’m a by-product of an immigrant father, immigrant grandparents," Ramirez said. "It hurts me deeply as a proud Mexican-American seeing what is happening."
Ramirez said he's been receiving numerous messages from concerned constituents expressing fear about potential immigration enforcement.
"I'm getting a lot of messages, a lot of complaints of just fear," Ramirez said. "These immigrants, they're residents, they're human beings. They've been here for years. They've contributed to our economy, contributed to our culture."
He described the emotional toll on immigrant families who worry about raids and family separation.
"Now, just because of who they are, what they speak, or where they come from, they're being told they no longer belong here," Ramirez said. “In my opinion, everyone is welcome, that's the American Dream."
Ramirez expressed particular concern about enforcement in sensitive locations.
"That's the main thing....is fear,” Ramirez said. “Fear that we're going to see raids where they're going to go door to door just like we're in Minneapolis, tearing families apart, going into schools, going into hospitals, those areas that should be protected. There's just that fear of intimidation."
When I contacted the mayor's office and all UG commissioners to see if they'd consider legislation similar to Kansas City, Missouri's, ban, several expressed interest in taking action.
"[I'm] open to it," Ramirez said. "It’s a tool we have in our toolbox, and there's things that we’re looking at."
Though the mayor did not comment Friday, she detailed her stance in an interview I did in November.
The commission’s legislative process typically requires items like this to go to a standing committee before being presented to the full commission.
UG District 8 Commissioner Andrew Davis said as of Friday, he's not aware of any proposals for detention centers in KCK.
"That is something that I would absolutely want to look into," Davis told me.
Davis said he wants the county to be proactive, especially given federal attention on the Kansas City area.
"I do think we have to get creative on getting ahead of some of this, particularly since the president of the United States has identified the Kansas City area as a desired area to put a detention center," Davis said.
Davis expressed concern about Kansas potentially becoming an alternative if Missouri resists federal immigration enforcement efforts.
"There's some talk that if Missouri doesn't play ball, someone in Kansas will," he said. "I don't think Wyandotte County should be on that list."
Davis warned about the broader implications of current immigration enforcement approaches.
"What we are seeing is this inciting of violence and this presence of aggression," Davis said. "Rural, urban, suburban, no one's winning here."
The commissioner noted Wyandotte County's unique demographics make it particularly vulnerable.
"Wyandotte County specifically, that is super worrisome,” Davis said. “We have a very diverse community that is of mixed status. We are not a safer community by ripping families apart."
Davis referenced a previous local immigration policy, the Safe & Welcoming City Act, passed in 2022.
It’s currently paused because of legal concerns.
He recalls times moratoriums have been passed regarding other city permits.
"We've done this before,” Davis said. “The question is: 'Could we do this for federal detention centers?"'
UG Commissioner Andrew Kump agreed with exploring protective measures, emphasizing the county's role should not include federal immigration enforcement.
"I support law enforcement and the work they do in our community, however, our job isn't to enforce federal immigration policy," said Kump, who is the District 2 At-Large Commissioner.
Kump said he's been contacted by many residents with concerns and that discussions are happening at multiple levels.
He says he’s attended several neighborhood meetings and heard concerns there, too.
He’s scheduled to attend another community meeting, along with commissioners Ramirez and Lopez on January 20 in Argentine.
"I've been contacted by many residents who have wondered the same, have the same questions," Kump said. "For many people, this is a pressing issue, and we want to be reactive and proactive in our approach to it."
He described the challenge commissioners face in addressing the issue.
"It's a balancing act," Kump said. "My priority is, and our priority should be the safety of our visitors, of our staff, and of our residents."
District 2 Commissioner Bill Burns was direct in his opposition to a detention center in Wyandotte County, suggesting it should be located elsewhere, such as Leawood.
"No, I'm against it in Wyandotte County," Burns said.
Burns emphasized the county's focus on economic development over detention facilities.
"What we're after is better development, and that's where our focus is right now," Burns said.
At the January 2025 meeting, community advocates pushed for protective policies at the local level.
"Enact some policies to the extent that you're able to be able to protect these communities," said Karla Juarez, Executive Director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation.
The commissioners acknowledged they have limited local authority, but are exploring options.
"We are pretty limited locally with what we can do," Davis said.
However, Ramirez emphasized the importance of taking action where possible.
"What are our paths to keep our community safe and informed?" Ramirez said. "I think that's what's most important at the moment is that safety and spreading the right information, not misinformation, around our community."
Despite the challenges, Ramirez expressed optimism about finding consensus among commissioners.
"I'm sure we can come to some kind of consensus,” Ramirez said. “We all love Wyandotte County. We're all proud Wyandotte Countians. I think we can come to a consensus 'cause we all want to keep our community safe."
The discussions are becoming increasingly urgent as the possibility of an ICE detention facility somewhere in the metro area becomes more concrete.
As far as discussing solutions as a full commission, they’re not quite there.
"We haven't yet,” Ramirez said. “I’m sure we will in the very near future. I think with the news reports of the detention center here, it's starting to hit us that it's real. Now we're seeing this could be a possibility for our own community. And so I think those conversations are going to be had soon."
A spokesperson for the Kansas City, Kansas, police department shared the following statement Friday afternoon and says KCKPD has not actively participated in any immigration enforcement operations in the past year.
“First and foremost, our priority remains the safety of our residents,” the statement read. “While the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department does not enforce federal immigration law, we do respond to any law enforcement agency requesting assistance, including DHS/ICE. Those requests are carefully reviewed and approved by the Chief of Police.”
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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