Federal judge issues decision in battle to reopen Leavenworth prison to hold detained immigrants
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KCTV) - A federal judge dismisses a lawsuit that attempted to block a private prison from opening a facility to hold people illegally in the United States.
The City of CoreCivic’s plan to open an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center without the city’s permission.
The court ruled it didn’t have the authority to hear the case.
Leavenworth argued CoreCivic is required to obtain a special use permit to open its facility at 100 Highway Terrace.
CoreCivic argued it never shuttered the facility and maintenance staff have been on site, so a new permit isn’t needed.
CoreCivic previously had a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) to house people in the Leavenworth facility who were charged with but not yet convicted of federal crimes. In 2021, that contract expired and was not renewed under an executive order from then-President Joe Biden.
CoreCivic first proposed housing detainees at the Leavenworth site in late February 2025.
Last month CoreCivic Public Affairs Director Ryan Gustin stated that CoreCivic “expect(s) the facility to be fully operational in the months.”
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