State senators to visit McCook ICE facility

State senators on Monday will be able to tour the detention center the state runs for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in McCook. Meanwhile, state officials are refusing to say how many people are detained there.

Despite a Nebraska law saying legislators can visit state-run prisons anytime, Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh said this week she was denied access to the McCook facility in November. But Thursday, Cavanaugh said a tour has been arranged for Monday afternoon. Pillen spokesperson Laura Strimple said it would be open to any senator who completes the required federal paperwork.

Meanwhile, state officials are refusing to say how many detainees are being held at the facility. The New York Times reported Sunday that the average daily count for November was 28. Gov. Jim Pillen said in early November he expected there would be about 200 by Thanksgiving. A spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services said they were not giving out numbers for reasons of safety and security, at the request of their federal partners, but that the number was significantly higher than reported by the Times. Asked about the situation Wednesday, Pillen also declined to give a number.

“The bottom line is, what we're focused on is keeping Nebraska safe, keeping our state safe. I'm not zeroed in on exactly how many people are at that” (facility)," Pillen said.