The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas is calling attention to plans by the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency to expand its capacity to detain immigrants in Kansas and other states.
The ACLU said it obtained documents through the federal Freedom of Information Act, outlining proposals to expand detention facilities in Kansas, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Washington state. The records show that private prison corporations have submitted proposals in response to ICE’s contract requests. Proposals were also submitted by other corporate entities that provide services to build temporary facilities, provide staffing and monitor compliance.
In a press release, ACLU Kansas executive director Micah Kubic said, “An expanded ICE presence in our state will deeply harm our fellow Kansans. The community of Leavenworth has made it clear multiple times that ICE and CoreCivic are not welcome to wreak the havoc of federal immigration enforcement here—and local and state leaders do not have to give in.”
The ACLU has called on state and local officials throughout the country to build what they call a “firewall for freedom” that would protect fundamental rights from likely attacks during the second Trump administration. The ACLU of Kansas recently announced its Firewall for Freedom effort, which seeks to win proactive civil liberties protections on the local level and empower local communities to exercise their influence and power.
