The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has opened a new migrant detention facility in Nebraska as part of the Trump administration’s aggressive expansion of immigration enforcement infrastructure. Nicknamed the “Cornhusker Clink,” the facility is located at the Work Ethic Camp in McCook and adds 280 detention beds through a partnership between ICE and the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. The expansion is a component of Trump’s immigration plan funded by the “Big Beautiful Bill,” passed earlier this year, which boosted ICE resources and detention capacity nationwide.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the opening with strong language, stating the facility would help remove “the worst of the worst” from U.S. communities. She encouraged undocumented migrants to self-deport via the CBP Home App, warning they could otherwise end up in detention. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen expressed support, saying the state is proud to assist in federal immigration enforcement and confirmed local law enforcement and National Guard troops would aid ICE operations in the region.
This Nebraska facility is one of several being launched or expanded across the country. DHS documents indicate that ICE aims to more than double its detention capacity by the end of 2025 — from 50,000 beds under the Biden administration to over 107,000. Much of this growth will come through new or expanded contracts with private prison companies such as Geo Group and CoreCivic, and through the use of temporary soft-sided housing.
Alongside Nebraska, major expansions are underway in Texas, Indiana, New Jersey, and over 30 other states. A \$1.26 billion project to construct a massive 5,000-bed deportation hub at Fort Bliss, Texas, is among the largest. Other facilities will serve as regional detention or deportation centers across the Midwest, South, and East Coast.
Trump officials argue this expansion is fiscally responsible. DHS estimates the \$45 billion detention buildout is far less than the \$150 billion annual cost of illegal immigration, citing figures from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). According to FAIR, the net cost per migrant or their U.S.-born child averages nearly \$8,800 per year.
While Democrats have criticized these developments as inhumane and politically motivated, the Trump administration maintains that restoring enforcement and expanding detention is vital for national security, public safety, and fiscal discipline. With plans moving swiftly, the Cornhusker Clink symbolizes a broader shift in U.S. immigration policy under Trump’s second term.
