The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new immigration detention facility in McCook, Nebraska, as part of a broader effort to expand detention capacity under President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda. Named the “Cornhusker Clink,” the facility is located at the Work Ethic Camp and adds 280 new detention beds. This expansion is a result of a partnership between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the project is funded by the recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill,” which increased ICE’s budget for enforcement and detention programs. The law also provided for 80,000 additional ICE detention beds nationwide. Noem emphasized the goal of removing “the worst of the worst” and warned undocumented immigrants to leave voluntarily through the CBP Home App to avoid arrest.

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen expressed support for the partnership and confirmed that the Nebraska State Patrol and National Guard would aid in ICE operations. He cited the state’s ongoing commitment to national security, referencing his prior deployment of troops to the southern border during President Biden’s term.

The Nebraska facility is one of several announced as part of DHS’s effort to expand ICE’s detention capacity from 50,000 to over 107,000 beds by the end of 2025. Expansion efforts are focused on states with little previous ICE presence, including the use of temporary structures like tents.

Private contractors Geo Group and CoreCivic have been awarded new contracts to support this expansion. States with major detention projects include Texas, Louisiana, California, Georgia, and Arizona, along with over 30 additional locations nationwide.

In July, DHS launched a $1.26 billion project to build a 5,000-bed detention center at Fort Bliss, Texas, which will serve as a deportation hub. Officials argue this expansion is cost-effective, citing illegal immigration’s estimated annual taxpayer burden of $150 billion.