A Leavenworth County judge has halted CoreCivic’s plans to house ICE detainees at their former detention facility, dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy while dealing with allegations of inhumane conditions at the controversial facility.
Key Takeaways
- Judge John Bryant issued a temporary restraining order blocking CoreCivic from housing ICE detainees without first obtaining a special use permit from city officials.
- CoreCivic claims the judicial block will cost them $4.2 million in monthly revenue as the company attempts to capitalize on President Trump’s increased immigration enforcement.
- The facility was previously shut down in 2021 amid serious human rights concerns, with reports of rat infestations, unsanitary conditions, and detainees being held despite winning their immigration cases.
- City officials emphasize the case centers on local land use regulations and safety concerns, not immigration policy.
- Civil rights organizations including the ACLU have documented numerous alleged violations at the facility, including extended lockdowns, inadequate medical care, and denial of legal counsel access.
Permit Dispute Blocks Detention Center Reopening
In a significant setback for private prison operator CoreCivic, Leavenworth County Judge John Bryant has temporarily blocked the company from housing ICE detainees at their closed Kansas detention center. The ruling follows the city’s lawsuit against CoreCivic, which had attempted to bypass local regulations by withdrawing its special use permit application, claiming the process was unnecessary and time-consuming. The company stands to lose approximately $4.2 million in monthly revenue due to the judicial order, highlighting the financial stakes in this immigration enforcement expansion.
Leavenworth city manager Scott Peterson has emphasized that the dispute centers on proper land use regulations rather than immigration politics. “I would point out that maybe the reason we have seen some success here today is this is not about immigration. This is not about private prisons. This is about land use,” said Scott Peterson, Leavenworth city manager.
History of Human Rights Concerns Haunts Facility
The Leavenworth facility’s troubled past raises serious questions about its suitability for housing immigrant detainees. CoreCivic ceased housing pretrial detainees at the facility in 2021 following President Biden’s executive order to reduce reliance on private prisons. However, with President Trump’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement and increased deportations, the facility is now in demand again. The timing of this attempted reopening aligns perfectly with the administration’s efforts to secure additional detention beds for illegal immigrants awaiting deportation.
“The Trump administration’s use of federal prisons to detain immigrants must end. Holding people in extended lockdown, and denying them access to adequate medical care, legal counsel, and even sunlight isn’t just inhumane – it’s illegal,” said Eunice Cho, senior staff attorney at the ACLU’s National Prison Project. “The taxpayer-funded conditions faced by immigrants held at FCI Leavenworth should concern us all.”
Documentation from civil rights organizations reveals deeply troubling conditions at the facility, including lengthy lockdowns, deprivation of basic needs, unsanitary conditions, use of excessive force, and delays in medical care. Perhaps most concerning are reports that many detainees remained in ICE custody despite having already won their immigration cases, raising serious questions about the facility’s adherence to legal standards and basic human rights. These conditions demand scrutiny before any reopening is considered.
Legal Battle Highlights Broader Immigration Enforcement Challenges
The legal dispute in Leavenworth mirrors similar controversies in other cities, including Newark, New Jersey, where private prisons have attempted to reopen as ICE detention facilities. The city’s lawsuit against CoreCivic claimed the company impeded police investigations and failed to meet safety standards, concerns that ultimately persuaded Judge Bryant to issue the restraining order. After an initial dismissal on technical grounds, the city’s refiled case in state court has successfully halted operations until proper permits are secured.
“What’s happening at FCI Leavenworth is not only a violation of ICE’s own policies — it’s a violation of our shared humanity,” said Karla Juarez, executive director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation. “These are people who have already won their immigration cases and who should be free with their families, not locked in overcrowded cells without access to medical care or even sunlight. We are horrified. We demand that ICE and BOP stop treating immigrant lives as disposable and immediately release those who have already been granted protection. Detaining people under civil immigration law in punitive prison conditions is unacceptable and unlawful.”
While the Biden administration attempted to reduce the use of private detention facilities, President Trump’s aggressive approach to illegal immigration has created renewed demand for these facilities. This case highlights the tension between the urgent need to enforce immigration laws and detain illegal immigrants awaiting deportation, versus ensuring that detention centers meet basic standards of safety, sanitation, and legal access. For now, Judge Bryant’s order ensures that proper permits and safety measures must be in place before operations can resume.
