NDCS responds to City of McCook leaders’ questions
September 12, 2025 (Lincoln, Neb.) – Yesterday, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) Director Rob Jeffreys spoke with McCook Mayor Linda Taylor and City Manager Nate Schneider about public safety and community impact of the Work Ethic Camp (WEC) as it undergoes conversion to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center.
NDCS provided the information below in response to questions from McCook leaders. The information has been categorized based on subject areas:
Public safety and security:
-WEC will house an adult population with minor criminal records and nonviolent felonies.
-There is no plan for federal detainees to work in the community.
-A perimeter fence and intruder detection system will be added at the facility, as well as an armed, patrolled perimeter, which will be manned by NDCS staff.
-Safety procedures will be governed by ICE detention standards, which NDCS anticipates will be similar to procedures currently utilized at the facility.
-Emergency preparedness standards, which are utilized at all NDCS facilities, will be reviewed and if necessary, adjusted to meet the needs as a federal detention facility.
Community impact:
-Approximately up to 65 staff positions will be added at WEC. These will be state positions and will include additional medical personnel.
Facility operations:
Multi-purpose spaces within the facility will be re-purposed to accommodate additional beds.
NDCS is exploring options that will allow for utilization of electronic translation services, to assist non-English speaking detainees.
Transportation:
Methods for transporting detainees are still being determined.
NDCS expects a population of up to 300 people, with an average stay of five to 45 days.
At this time, formal contract language is still being developed between NDCS and DHS. As more information becomes available throughout that process, it will continue to be shared with relevant stakeholders, including city leadership in McCook.