This Nebraska Prison Rehabilitated Inmates. Until ICE Paid to Fill It With Immigrants.

For over two decades, the Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Nebraska, served as the state's only rehabilitation-focused prison, preparing nonviolent offenders for release through job training, counseling, and community involvement. In the fall, state officials decided to convert the minimum-security facility into a 300-bed high-security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, renamed "The Cornhusker Clink." This change supports the national crackdown on illegal immigration. While some residents support the decision, citing potential job creation and alignment with President Trump's agenda, others express frustration over the loss of the rehabilitation center and potential strain on local resources. The governor's unilateral decision to transform the facility has sparked debate within the conservative town.

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