"Red Willow County District Judge Patrick Heng, in a 17-page ruling Monday, ruled that Pillen and Rob Jeffreys, director of the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, did not violate the Nebraska Constitution or state law by entering into a Sept. 30 contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to convert the state's Work Ethic Camp in McCook into a regional ICE detention center."
""It is clear that the current situation with the department and ICE detainees was never contemplated when the statutes were created, but the language utilized by the Legislature is broad enough to allow the defendants to take the action they have chosen," Heng wrote."
"Pillen and federal officials announced the Nebraska-ICE partnership Aug. 19. Jeffreys signed the contract on Sept. 30, which was released to the public Oct. 17, two days after the lawsuit was filed. A spokesperson for the Attorney General's Office referred questions to the Governor's Office, and Pillen's office had no immediate comment."
A district court judge allowed Nebraska to proceed with Gov. Jim Pillen's plan to convert the state Work Ethic Camp in McCook into a regional ICE detention center under a Sept. 30 contract with ICE. The judge found Pillen and Rob Jeffreys did not violate the Nebraska Constitution or state law. ICE certified the facility and officials expect to house detainees by the end of the week. The contract was signed Sept. 30 and publicly released Oct. 17. Nebraska Appleseed filed a lawsuit Oct. 15 on behalf of 13 McCook residents and a former state senator; litigation continues.
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