CoreCivic to proceed with opening ICE Detention Center in Leavenworth
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KCTV) - Despite withdrawing a Special Use Permit application to the City of Leavenworth last week, CoreCivic states it still plans on opening the Midwest Regional Welcome Center this year.
In a statement to KCTV, CoreCivic Public Affairs Director Ryan Gustin stated, “After careful consideration, we have withdrawn our application. CoreCivic has had a long and positive relationship in the Leavenworth community, spanning nearly 30 years, and moving forward it is our goal to maintain an open line of communication with city leaders as we remain committed to our longstanding community partnership. And we look forward to continuing to serve our federal partners at our Midwest Regional Reception Center and expect the facility to be fully operational in the months.”
When asked if CoreCivic needed the SUP approval from the City Of Leavenworth, Gustin stated, “We’ve been proud to operate a detention facility for the federal government at the Leavenworth site for over 30 years. While we do not believe the SUP is necessary, we look forward to partnering with the local community as we always have.”
KCTV has spoken to former employees like William Rogers, who worked at the facility for several years as a guard when it was a private jail. He is against the facility reopening, saying there was a slew of constant problems when we worked there that weren’t addressed by CoreCivic.
“I thought all the community pushback had done what it was supposed to, but when I really thought about it, it’s a million-dollar corporation,” said Rogers, when asked about CoreCivic withdrawing the SUP application. “They’re not going to give up this easy.”
Rogers printed out dozens of police reports taken at the jail when he was there and says several incidents, including when he was attacked, were never reported to authorities.
“This ain’t an ICE or immigration issue for me, I don’t want to make it into that,” said Rogers. “That’s not my argument. My argument is CoreCivic corporate greed, and I’ve seen it, I’ve lived it.”
State Representative Pat Proctor, who represents the Leavenworth area, said he was initially against the idea of the former jail becoming an ICE Detention Center, but has since changed his mind.
“I was very concerned they may be released that they might be released into the community,” said Proctor. “I was not in favor of that plan. I am in favor of this plan. They are ICE detainees that are being held until they can be put on a bus to be put on a plane to go back to their country of origin. I think that is a much better use of the facility, I think it’s much safer for the community, much safer for the folks that work in the facility.”
While he couldn’t comment on CoreCivic’s decision to withdraw the SUP application, Proctor believes the decision to pursue to permit was to allow for community input.
“They have since been directed they need to open quicker than that and they don’t have time for that conversation,” said Proctor. “I think it’s just the urgency of the need for the facility as we are trying to reverse years and years of people coming into this country unchecked. They’ve got a lot of work to do, and they’ve got to get to it.”
Proctor said CoreCivic has been in communication with him, as well as city and county leaders.
On Monday, Leavenworth City Manager Scott Peterson told KCTV the city was planning to discuss next steps regarding CoreCivic at a City Commission special meeting on Tuesday night. It was not explicitly put on the agenda, but the commission did go into executive session. Peterson said he could not comment on what the executive session was about, citing attorney-client privilege, but did state the commission did not have a public item on the agenda tonight related to CoreCivic.
Requests for comment from City Commissioners were not returned.
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