Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson is proposing a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house immigration detainees in Douglas County Corrections, a move that could generate millions in revenue.
According to Hanson's letter sent to Douglas County Board Chairman Roger Garcia and Vice Chairman Mike Friend, the agreement would bring in $5.5 to $6.5 million annually per 100 beds. The sheriff emphasized this would not incentivize immigration arrests, as those fall outside the county's jurisdiction.
"The county cannot make immigration arrests," Hanson said.
Instead, county corrections would house people detained by ICE. Hanson said such agreements are common and would aim to provide more humane conditions for those in custody.
The sheriff is proposing the ICE detention contract partly to address logistical challenges. He said currently, detainees must make an 11-hour round trip between North Platte and Omaha for immigration court appearances.
"This relationship would be purely about giving the federal government a place to safely keep people while they're navigating their due process," Hanson said.
LULAC Nebraska Deputy Director Saul Lopez said the sheriff contacted them about the proposal. While the organization does not support a contractual agreement between the county and ICE, Lopez acknowledged it could allow people to stay closer to their families and legal representation.
"I think, the beginning of many conversations, and we do not know what other information we might encounter as we explore into really understanding what this might look like at the end," Lopez said.
If approved, Hanson said the revenue could provide property tax relief and support immigrant families.
"That revenue could be reinvested back into keeping our community safe and also improving Douglas County corrections for people that navigate that facility as well. But even more importantly, the revenue could be reinvested back into that vulnerable immigrant community that is most concerned about these detentions to help the family that's left behind," Hanson said.
LULAC has concerns about treatment conditions in detention centers.
"We wanna make sure that people get access to their medications. LULAC is very concerned that detainees have access to medications, that they have a chance to make a phone call, that detainees have an opportunity to contact whomever can provide them representation, that there is a fair way of doing things," Lopez said.
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners, which also serves as the board of corrections, was not involved in the proposal and would not be making comments.
Lopez said he appreciates that the sheriff recognizes people in custody need dignity, but believes the proposal requires thorough vetting to ensure it benefits all parties involved.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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