Local

Community debates the plan for an ICE detention center in Kansas

Stories by Kansas City Star journalists, with AI summarization

The fierce showdown over the Leavenworth ICE detention center pits CoreCivic’s ambitions against a flood of community protests, lawsuits, and harrowing memories of violence inside its walls. This list of stories outlines how the shuttered prison’s violent legacy, including testimonies about stabbings and staff injuries, has stoked resistance to plans for reopening as an ICE facility. The city’s lawsuit, residents’ rallies, and an outpouring of concern over chronic understaffing and detainee treatment all collide with CoreCivic’s claim it doesn’t need local permission.

As Trump’s calls for mass deportations intensify and new contracts loom, locals weigh the promise of more jobs against the risks of repeating a brutal past.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

CoreCivic’s private jail in Leavenworth, Kansas, has been renamed the Midwest Regional Reception Center in anticipation of housing immigrants detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. By Matthew Kelly

NO. 1: TROUBLED KANSAS PRISON COULD BECOME ICE DETENTION SITE FOR TRUMP-BACKED MASS DEPORTATIONS

Local residents have voiced opposition for a number of reasons, including the shuttered prison’s history of violence and fears that immigrants could be released into the community. | Published March 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Matthew Kelly

CoreCivic Midwest Regional Reception Center, formerly Leavenworth Detention Center, at 100 Hwy Terrace is seen on Monday, March 3, 2025, in Leavenworth, Kansas. By Emily Curiel

NO. 2: PRIVATE PRISON SAYS IT HAS ‘RIGHT’ TO RUN ICE DETENTION IN KS, DOESN’T NEED CITY’S OK

The largest private prison company in the U.S. appears poised to pursue a contract with ICE to detain immigrants, despite withdrawing its request for permission from the city of Leavenworth to do so. | Published March 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Matthew Kelly

A day room attached to cells at the Midwest Regional Reception Center private prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. By Matthew Kelly

NO. 3: WHY A TRUMP-FRIENDLY KANSAS TOWN IS REBUKING PLAN FOR AN ICE DETENTION CENTER

Trump’s audacious deportation campaign — and Leavenworth’s potential role in the effort — has divided the area as the possible local consequences of detaining large numbers of people have come into focus. | Published April 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Matthew Kelly and Jonathan Shorman

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.