This guide is for people detained by ICE in Nebraska and for their families. Nebraska has one dedicated ICE detention facility: the McCook Detention Center, a former state prison in McCook known as the 'Cornhusker Clink,' which opened in November 2025. The facility is located in McCook - a remote city of approximately 7,000 people in the remote southwest corner of Nebraska, about 210 miles west of Lincoln and roughly halfway between Denver and Omaha. The state operates the facility under a contract worth approximately $2.4 million per month, at a daily rate of $269.17 per detainee, under a two-year agreement signed September 30, 2025. Capacity is 200-300 detainees. Nebraska also uses some county jails for short-term holds. Nebraska falls under the ICE St. Paul Field Office, with an Omaha Sub-Office that handles Nebraska cases. ACLU Nebraska attorney Grant Friedman described attorney access at McCook as the 'worst experience' he had encountered at any Nebraska jail. ACLU Nebraska has filed multiple federal lawsuits on behalf of McCook detainees, winning bond hearings in several cases. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld mandatory detention in March 2026 - making bond difficult - but Nebraska federal district court judges have ordered bond hearings and releases in individual cases. Nebraska Appleseed is the primary immigrant advocacy organization. Bond posts at ICE ERO Omaha, 1717 Avenue H. Last verified: June 2026.
Step 1: Find Your Family Member - Right Now
ICE Online Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov
You need: the person's full legal name, date of birth, and country of birth - OR their A-Number (Alien Registration Number). McCook's remote location and state-operated structure means detainee information goes through ICE's systems more slowly than county jails. If nothing appears within 24-48 hours, call the Omaha ICE Sub-Office.
ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line: 1-888-351-4024 (toll-free)
EOIR Immigration Court Case Status: 1-800-898-7180
ICE St. Paul Field Office (covers Nebraska): StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
ICE Omaha Sub-Office: (402) 536-4861 | 1717 Avenue H, Omaha, NE 68110
ICE Omaha Sub-Office deportation officer line: (402) 536-4929
McCook Detention Center (Nebraska Dept. of Corrections): Contact through ICE at StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov - the state instructs detainee inquiries to go through the federal ICE media office. For visiting and general information, contact the facility directly. Search for 'McCook Detention Center' or 'Cornhusker Clink' current contact information at ice.gov.
Nebraska Appleseed (immigrant advocacy): nebraskaappleseed.org | (402) 438-8853 | Lincoln and Omaha
ACLU of Nebraska: aclune.org | (402) 476-8091 | Lincoln and Omaha
Step 2: McCook Detention Center - The 'Cornhusker Clink'
McCook, Nebraska 69001
ICE case information: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | Omaha Sub-Office: (402) 536-4929
Tablets: Available - messaging through gettingout.com (select 'NCDS Work Ethic Camp' from the drop-down menu)
The McCook Detention Center, officially known as Nebraska's Work Ethic Camp (WEC) - nicknamed 'Cornhusker Clink' by DHS - is a former minimum-security state prison converted to an ICE detention center. It opened for ICE detainees in early November 2025. The facility is unique: it is owned and operated by the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, not ICE or a private company. This hybrid state-federal structure creates unusual transparency and oversight dynamics. State lawmakers were largely excluded from the approval process; the contract was signed hours before a federal government shutdown, and the state denied multiple public records requests for weeks.
The two-year contract (September 30, 2025) pays Nebraska $269.17 per detainee per day - approximately $2.4 million per month at minimum - projected to generate approximately $14 million annually net for the state. This converts a facility that cost $10.2 million annually to operate into a significant revenue source. The state describes it as a 'Midwest hub' for immigration enforcement. Capacity is 200 in phase one, expanded to 300 in phase two with construction completing in early 2026.
The facility holds adult men and women. Minors must be relocated within 72 hours. Attorney access has been documented as extremely poor - ACLU Nebraska attorney Grant Friedman called it the 'worst experience' for attorney-client access he had encountered in any Nebraska jail. Multiple federal lawsuits have been filed by ACLU Nebraska on behalf of McCook detainees. Federal judges in Omaha have repeatedly ordered bond hearings and in some cases release for McCook detainees, though the Eighth Circuit's March 2026 ruling makes future bond hearings harder to obtain.
At least seven people arrested during 'Operation Metro Surge' in Minnesota were transported to McCook - hours from their families and attorneys in the Minneapolis area. Some earlier detainees were transferred from the Polk County Jail in Iowa.
McCook is approximately 210 miles west of Lincoln, 340 miles from Omaha, and 380 miles from Kansas City. It is in rural southwest Nebraska, an isolated location that creates significant barriers to family visits and legal access.
Mail: [Detainee Full Name + A-Number], McCook Detention Center, [McCook, NE 69001 - confirm current address at ice.gov]. Include sender's name and address. Only legal mail is forwarded upon transfer.
Other Nebraska Facilities
Lincoln County Jail (North Platte): Some Nebraska ICE detainees were held here during the June 2025 Omaha workplace raid. ICE leases space in this county jail on an as-needed basis. Contact ICE Omaha Sub-Office at (402) 536-4861 for current status.
Hall County Jail (Grand Island): Nebraska National Guard personnel were deployed to support ICE offices in Omaha, Grand Island, and North Platte. Hall County may hold occasional short-term ICE detainees. Verify at ice.gov or (402) 536-4861.
Step 3: Get Legal Help - Attorney Access at McCook Is Documented as Poor
Nebraska has limited immigration legal infrastructure, and McCook's remote location - 210 miles from Lincoln, 340 miles from Omaha - creates severe practical barriers. Attorney Grant Friedman of ACLU Nebraska described the attorney access at McCook as the worst he had encountered in any Nebraska jail. Contact legal organizations immediately.
ACLU of Nebraska - Most Active Litigation Resource
aclune.org | (402) 476-8091 | Lincoln (headquarters) and Omaha
ACLU Nebraska has been the most active legal organization representing McCook detainees, filing multiple federal lawsuits in the US District Court of Nebraska. Attorney Grant Friedman has been lead counsel. Key results: US District Judge Susan Bazis ordered a bond hearing within 7 days (or immediate release) for Carlos Roldan Chang (February 10, 2026); a 21-year-old Salvadoran woman, Virginia Lissbeth Pineda Lemus, was ordered released from ICE custody March 13, 2026. Contact ACLU Nebraska immediately for McCook detainees.
Nebraska Appleseed - Primary Immigrant Advocacy Organization
nebraskaappleseed.org | (402) 438-8853 | Lincoln and Omaha
Nebraska Appleseed is the primary statewide nonprofit advocating for immigrants and other vulnerable groups. They filed the original state court lawsuit to block McCook's conversion (with former state Senator DiAnna Schimek and 13 McCook-area residents). Nebraska Appleseed Senior Attorney Nick Grandgenett has been a lead voice. While their McCook lawsuit was dismissed in March 2026 with an appeal pending, Appleseed remains the primary community advocacy and referral resource for Nebraska immigrants facing ICE detention.
Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement (CIRA Connect - Omaha)
ciraconnect.org | (402) 898-1349 | Omaha - Provides immigration legal services and was active during the June 2025 South Omaha workplace raid. Contact for detention legal referrals.
Legal Aid of Nebraska
legalaidofnebraska.org | 1-888-991-9921 (statewide toll-free) | Omaha, Lincoln, Norfolk - Free civil legal services for low-income Nebraskans. Contact for immigration referrals.
Immigrant Legal Center (ILC)
immigrantlegalcenter.org | Omaha - Free and low-cost immigration legal services for Nebraska and Iowa. Contact for screening and referrals for detained individuals.
University of Nebraska Law School Immigration Clinic
Contact the University of Nebraska College of Law in Lincoln for their immigration clinic's current availability.
EOIR Pro Bono List
McCook Detention Center is required to post a pro bono legal service list in housing units. Ask your family member to request the list immediately. Given documented attorney access problems, also contact the Omaha ICE Sub-Office at (402) 536-4929 if your family member is having difficulty reaching an attorney.
Immigration Advocates Network
immigrationadvocates.org - National searchable directory; search by Nebraska.
Step 4: Bond - Contested Legal Landscape
Bond is difficult to obtain in Nebraska under the Eighth Circuit's March 2026 ruling upholding mandatory detention. However, individual Nebraska federal district court judges have repeatedly ordered bond hearings and releases despite the Eighth Circuit ruling, finding it inapplicable to specific individual circumstances. Contact ACLU Nebraska immediately if a family member has been denied a bond hearing - ACLU Nebraska has successfully won bond orders in multiple federal cases.
Note: Nebraska's district court judges have been more willing than some other circuits to challenge mandatory detention. The legal landscape is rapidly evolving. An attorney must evaluate individual bond eligibility.
Bond posting for Nebraska detainees
Bond is posted at the ICE ERO Omaha Sub-Office:
ICE ERO Omaha: 1717 Avenue H, Omaha, NE 68110 | (402) 536-4861
Payment: Money order, cashier's check, or certified check payable to 'Department of Homeland Security.' Bring the detainee's full name, A-Number, and bond order from the immigration judge.
A licensed immigration bond agent can post bond electronically for a fee, avoiding the 340-mile drive from Omaha to McCook and back.
Bond Funds
National Immigrant Bond Fund
immigrantbondfund.org - National fund; requires family contribution.
Nebraska mutual aid
Contact Nebraska Appleseed and CIRA Connect for current Nebraska-specific bond assistance resources.
Step 5: Communication at McCook Detention Center
Tablets and Electronic Messaging
Tablets are available. Send non-confidential messages through gettingout.com. Select 'NCDS Work Ethic Camp' from the drop-down menu when setting up an account.
Phone
Contact the facility for current phone system and procedures. Detainees cannot receive incoming calls. The facility is state-operated under NDCS rules, which may differ from standard ICE facility procedures.
Visiting
All family or other social visits are non-contact. No electronic devices permitted in secure areas. All visitors subject to search. No items may be passed to detainees. Contact the facility directly to confirm current visiting hours and registration requirements before traveling - McCook is 340 miles from Omaha and a long drive for most Nebraska families.
[Detainee Full Name + A-Number], McCook Detention Center, McCook, NE 69001 - Verify current address at ice.gov before sending. Only legal mail is forwarded upon transfer; general correspondence is returned to sender.
Attorney visits
Legal representatives may schedule VTC and in-person visits through ERO eFile (ice.gov). Documented attorney access problems at this facility - contact ACLU Nebraska if experiencing barriers to reaching your client or family member's attorney.
Step 6: Nebraska's Enforcement Context and Your Rights
Nebraska State Patrol 287(g) - expanded enforcement:
In August 2025, Gov. Pillen announced that the Nebraska State Patrol would enter a 287(g) Task Force Model agreement with ICE - allowing six trained NSP troopers to interrogate suspected noncitizens about immigration status and make immigration arrests without a warrant outside of a jail setting. The Nebraska National Guard deployed up to 20 personnel to support ICE offices in Omaha, Grand Island, and North Platte. This expanded state law enforcement participation means immigration encounters can occur at routine traffic stops and anywhere in the state, not just near county jails.
June 2025 South Omaha workplace raid:
In June 2025, ICE conducted its largest Nebraska workplace raid under Trump's second term at Glenn Valley Foods in South Omaha, arresting more than 70 undocumented workers. South Omaha merchants and families continued to feel the impact and fear of increased ICE presence through the rest of 2025 and into 2026. CIRA Connect and ACLU Nebraska provided representation to many of those arrested.
Accountability gap - state-federal hybrid:
McCook's state-operated, federally-funded structure creates unusual accountability gaps. State legislators were largely excluded from the approval process. The contract limits access to certain federal officials with few provisions for state-level inspection. Nebraska lawmakers have raised concerns about separation of powers and about taxpayer exposure if detainees' rights are violated. A state constitutional lawsuit by Nebraska Appleseed and former Senator Schimek was dismissed in March 2026; an appeal was anticipated.
Do not sign anything without an attorney:
ICE may pressure detained people to sign Voluntary Departure documents. Contact ACLU Nebraska at (402) 476-8091 or Nebraska Appleseed at (402) 438-8853 before signing anything.
Key rights every detainee has:
The right to speak with an attorney in private. McCook has documented attorney access problems - contact ACLU Nebraska if access is denied.
The right to a bond hearing before an immigration judge (contact ACLU Nebraska immediately if denied - Nebraska federal judges have ordered hearings despite Eighth Circuit ruling).
The right to be free from physical, sexual, and verbal abuse.
The right to access medical care.
The right to communicate with your home country's consulate (free calls required).
To report conditions or file a complaint:
ACLU Nebraska: aclune.org | (402) 476-8091
Nebraska Appleseed: nebraskaappleseed.org | (402) 438-8853
DHS Inspector General: oig.dhs.gov | 1-800-323-8603
ICE Omaha Sub-Office: (402) 536-4861
ICE complaints address: 1 Federal Drive, Suite 1640, Fort Snelling, MN 55111 (ICE St. Paul Field Office)
Quick Reference - Nebraska ICE Detainee Resources
Find a detainee:
ICE Detainee Locator: locator.ice.gov
ICE Detention Reporting Line: 1-888-351-4024
EOIR Case Status: 1-800-898-7180
ICE St. Paul Field Office: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov
ICE Omaha Sub-Office: (402) 536-4861 | (402) 536-4929 (deportation officer)
McCook Detention Center ('Cornhusker Clink'):
McCook, NE 69001 - ICE case info: StPaul.Outreach@ice.dhs.gov | Omaha Sub-Office: (402) 536-4929
Tablets/messaging: gettingout.com (select NCDS Work Ethic Camp)
Legal help:
ACLU Nebraska: aclune.org | (402) 476-8091
Nebraska Appleseed: nebraskaappleseed.org | (402) 438-8853
CIRA Connect (Omaha): ciraconnect.org | (402) 898-1349
Post bond:
ICE ERO Omaha: 1717 Avenue H, Omaha, NE 68110 | (402) 536-4861
Sources and verification: Nebraska Public Media, 'McCook ICE Facility Began Taking Detainees Monday, Pillen Says,' November 6, 2025 (McCook Work Ethic Camp now housing ICE detainees; 50-60 as of Thursday morning; full capacity 200 by Thanksgiving; second phase 100 additional beds early 2026; work just approved for bid federal government; ACLU Nebraska Executive Director Mindy Rush Chipman statement); PBS News/AP, 'Nebraska Converts Prison Into Federal Immigration Center,' November 6, 2025 (McCook remote city 7,000 people between Denver Omaha; capacity 200 full by Thanksgiving; second phase 100 more; 210 miles west Lincoln; surprise announcement August handing to federal authorities; nicknamed 'Cornhusker Clink' DHS play on Cornhusker State and slang for jail; 60,000 detained mid-September 51% increase since January TRAC; 70% no criminal record); Nebraska Examiner, 'Nebraska Signed Contract with ICE on Sept. 30,' October 20, 2025 (signed September 30 hours before federal shutdown; two-year 183-page contract; $2.5 million per month housing detainees adult males females; daily bed rate $269.17; second year rises 3%; WEC previously $10.2 million annual $199.50/day; Zoeller modifications 300 detainees virtual in-person attorney visits court proceedings; rehabilitative programming space converted; 12-foot razor-wire fence; staff 97 to 171; intruder detection system armed patrol; transportation reimbursed $10,816.67 monthly; state Sen. Terrell McKinney ICE could deduct for noncompliance taxpayers on hook legal costs; Sen. Megan Hunt obstruction separation of powers; state denied records requests for 17 days); Governor of Nebraska press release (October 17 2025; Cornhusker Clink; $2.4 million base monthly payment; cost savings $14.25 million annually net; one-year contract renewal options); Nebraska Public Media, 'What We Know About the New ICE Detention Center in McCook,' August 19, 2025 (Gov. Pillen DHS Secretary Noem August 19 announcement; minimum-security prison repurposed; Nebraska DOC Director Rob Jeffreys; continues run by state paid by federal; one-year contract extension opportunities; no children held 72-hour rule; NSP 287(g) Task Force Model six troopers; previously phased out 2012; Nebraska National Guard 20 personnel Omaha Grand Island North Platte; Nebraska Appleseed Darcy Tromanhauser statement 'This is not who we are'); Nebraska Examiner, 'ACLU Sues on Behalf of McCook ICE Detainees, Criticizes Attorney-Client Access,' February 4, 2026 (ACLU Nebraska first federal lawsuits McCook; Grant Friedman 'worst experience' attorney-client accommodations any Nebraska jail; two suits Guatemalan and Eastern African; Carlos Roldan Chang 44 Guatemala 20+ years US December 3 detention Des Moines then McCook; Eritrean Gherezgiher Minnesota ICE arrested May 2025 transferred McCook; could not be deported to Germany; kind of limbo; Polk County Jail Iowa some earlier McCook detainees; South Omaha June 2025 workers Glenn Valley Foods 70+ arrested CIRA Connect ACLU helped; Lincoln County North Platte ICE leased space); Nebraska Examiner, 'Federal Judge Sides with McCook Migrant Detainee in ACLU Nebraska Lawsuit,' February 10, 2026 (U.S. District Judge Susan Bazis; bond hearing within 7 days or immediate release; Roldan Chang Guatemala 20+ years US at McCook since December; bond hearing denied based Trump mandatory detention policy; ACLU three related federal lawsuits); Nebraska Examiner, 'Nebraska Cases Highlight Legal Morass from ICE Detention,' March 25-26, 2026 (Jorge Calderon Rivera El Salvador father three Omaha decade no criminal convictions; stopped unmarked cars January 17; two months McCook released on bond; Virginia Lissbeth Pineda Lemus 21 Salvadoran crossed unaccompanied minor Lincoln; two months ICE detention March 13 federal judge ordered release; Eighth Circuit March 2026 aligns with 5th Circuit February; ACLU Nebraska studying implications); Courthouse News, 'Nebraska Judge Allows Feds to Continue Using Prison Facility for ICE Detention,' March 27, 2026 (Judge Patrick Heng Red Willow County; dismissed with prejudice; governor authority to enter federal contracts; director authority move inmates; former state Senator DiAnna Schimek 13 McCook residents October lawsuit; Article IV Section 19 Nebraska Constitution legislature controls penal institutions; Nebraska Appleseed Nick Grandgenett disappointed reviewing options anticipate appeal; state senator December tour 100-150 detainees; seven Operation Metro Surge Minnesota; about 20 others Nebraska county jails hours from Minnesota homes); Midwest ICE Examiner (at least seven Minnesota Operation Metro Surge detainees at McCook; ICE Omaha 1717 Avenue H 68110 (402) 536-4861 bond); ICE McCook Detention Center page (ice.gov; stpaul.outreach@ice.dhs.gov for case information; (402) 536-4929 Omaha sub-office deportation officer; G-28 through ERO eFile; tablets gettingout.com select NCDS Work Ethic Camp; non-contact social visits; no electronic devices; no items to detainees; all subject search; clergy arrangements chaplain's office; no firearms; VTC and in-person attorney legal visits; complaints 1 Federal Drive Suite 1640 Fort Snelling MN 55111); cfiaus.com Nebraska (bond ICE ERO Omaha 1717 Avenue H 68110 (402) 536-4861 only Nebraska bond posting location). Volatile items: Verify McCook Detention Center current operational status and population (opened November 2025; phase one 200 phase two 300; state operated NDCS; verify June 2026 population and status at ice.gov); verify state court lawsuit appeal status (Appleseed dismissed March 2026 appeal anticipated; verify appellate status); verify NSP 287(g) agreement current status (announced August 2025; verify finalized and operational); verify ICE Omaha Sub-Office current hours and bond posting address (1717 Avenue H (402) 536-4861; confirm current before traveling); verify McCook Detention Center current visiting hours and address (remote location; call facility and check ice.gov before traveling). Last verified: June 2026.