Private Prison Giant Looking to Expand Migrant Detention Faces Fierce Local Resistance in One of America's Most Pro-Prison Towns

Residents and officials in Leavenworth, Kansas are pushing back against efforts by private prison operator CoreCivic to reopen a shuttered detention center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees.

Leavenworth, as The Guardian pointed out on Tuesday, is famously a pro-prison town, home to one of the oldest federal penitentiaries. In fact, prisons are the largest employer in this community, 30 miles north-west of Kansas City.

But despite this history, when CoreCivic applied earlier this year for a permit to reopen a prison to hold immigration detainees there, city officials balked and the community took issue, organizing protests such as the one on May 31, where a local group gathered at the public library to strategize against the plan to reopen the Midwest Regional Reception Center.

Many in attendance, including former prison guards and community organizers, criticized the company's past operations and questioned its motives for returning. "To be profitable, private prison firms must ensure that prisons are not only built but also filled," said Rick Hammett, a local organizer. He and others argued that immigration fears have been politically amplified to justify mass detentions.

CoreCivic operated the Leavenworth facility from 1992 to 2021, housing mostly pretrial detainees for the U.S. Marshals Service. The prison was closed following a Biden administration directive to phase out private contracts. During its operation, the facility was the subject of federal audits and lawsuits citing understaffing, violence, and rights violations.

Despite CoreCivic's claims that the facility never officially closed and therefore does not require new permits, Leavenworth city leaders insisted the company comply with updated zoning laws. In March, the city denied the company's permit application but, in response, CoreCivic filed suit, arguing it was exempt from new permitting rules.

On June 4, Leavenworth County District Judge John Bryant ruled against CoreCivic, granting a temporary injunction preventing the company from reopening the facility until it secures a special use permit. "The city has acted here because CoreCivic has stated its intent to ignore or not give any effect to the March '25 administrative decision," Bryant said.

CoreCivic maintains it is offering economic benefits, including $28.25 hourly starting wages, signing bonuses, and over $1 million in annual property taxes. Company spokesperson Ryan Gustin argued the facility operated for decades and said past safety concerns were isolated and largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

City attorneys, however, have asked the court to formalize the injunction. Meanwhile, residents are organizing further demonstrations, with a protest scheduled for July 19.