Ruling Stops ICE Detainees in Kansas Closed Prison

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    In Leavenworth, Kansas, a judge issued a temporary restraining order on Wednesday against CoreCivic, a prominent private prison operator in the U.S., preventing them from opening an immigrant detention facility in a non-operational detention center unless they secure a permit from the city officials. The facility is located on the northwest edge of the Kansas City area.

    Judge John Bryant’s decision followed a well-attended hearing where Leavenworth officials expressed their frustration with CoreCivic’s plans. CoreCivic, facing potential losses of $4.2 million per month if unable to open the 1,033-bed center, had anticipated arrivals of detainees due to an intensified effort by the Trump administration to tackle illegal immigration.

    This legal confrontation isn’t unique to Leavenworth. In Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka recently filed a lawsuit challenging his arrest for trespassing at a federal immigration detention center, suggesting the case was politically motivated. Leavenworth City Manager Scott Peterson expressed uncertainty if their legal victory was a pioneering event but emphasized the case’s focus on local land use rather than broader issues of immigration or private prisons.

    CoreCivic paused operations in late 2021, ceasing to house U.S. Marshals Service pretrial detainees after President Biden’s call for reducing private prison usage. Prior to its closure, the facility faced criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union and federal public defenders due to alleged inmate rights violations and violent incidents within the facility.

    Despite these concerns, the facility, now named the Midwest Regional Reception Center, finds relevance again amidst President Trump’s aggressive immigration policies aiming to increase detention capacity greatly. The site benefits from proximity to Kansas City International Airport, situated just 10 miles away, aligning with Trump’s objective to expand detention beds nationwide.

    Initially, CoreCivic sought a special use permit in February but retracted it in the following month, arguing it wasn’t necessary and the process was excessively time-consuming. Attorney Taylor Concannon Hausmann highlighted the lack of cooperation perceived from the city.

    Leavenworth countered by suing CoreCivic over claims the company obstructed police investigations into severe crimes at the facility. The city maintained that following the permit procedure would help avert future issues. City attorney Joe Hatley emphasized adherence to existing city regulations in court.

    While an initial federal lawsuit was dismissed in May on technicalities, the case refilled in state court saw Judge Bryant ruling against CoreCivic for not observing the appropriate procedures. Attorney Concannon Hausmann refrained from commenting after the ruling as citizens, including Norman Mallicoat holding a critical sign, departed the courtroom.

    Mallicoat expressed the sentiment of the local community seeing CoreCivic as using its size and influence to evade municipal rules designed to govern fair operation within the city’s jurisdiction.