Omaha immigration advocates react to ICE detention facility in McCook County
People in the immigrant community have reservations about the new detention facility in Nebraska. There is talk comparing the "Cornhusker Clink” with “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida.Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garcia voiced opposition to the facility. “One of our concerns is who's going to actually be detained,” he said.He said the announcement hurt the Hispanic community saying, “it's not going to build relationships, it's going to do harm.”READ MORE: 'A central Midwest hub for ICE': Immigration detention facility announced in NebraskaOmaha immigration attorney Julia Cryne also expressed concerns.“They're afraid that immigration is going to be patrolling the streets and grab anyone who looks Hispanic,” she said.The Center of Immigration and Refugee Advancement said in a statement to KETV, "These facilities don’t make communities safer; they spread fear, drive up costs for the state, and discourage people from reporting crimes."Cryne said one fair step would be building a cooperative relationship with administrators. The facility is nearly a five-hour drive from Omaha. Cryne called the location strategic. "There are zero immigration attorneys in McCook, Nebraska," Cryne said, "Most of the immigration attorneys in Nebraska are located in Omaha and Lincoln.” She said those detained in North Platte, over immigration violations at Glenn Valley Foods, are a preview of what is to come.“The scale of the operation in the new McCook, the Cornhusker Clinic is they're calling it is much larger than the prison facility that's currently in North Platte,” she said.READ MORE: Cornhusker copyright? Getting the facts on the name of Nebraska's new ICE detention facilityWhen asked for an interview, the Department of Homeland Security directed KETV to a Tuesday press release that said in part the facility will help “remove the worst of the worst out of our country.” Cryne encouraged people to monitor their immigration status closely and take advantage of free legal clinics across South Omaha.Our Lady of Guadalupe Church hosts walk-in clinics Monday nights, and the Latino Center of the Midlands offers free immigration consultations Tuesday nights, but the appointment needs to be scheduled in advance.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
