McCook ICE detention facility protest draws demonstrators from across Nebraska
MCCOOK, Neb. (KSNB) - Demonstrators from across Nebraska gathered Saturday near the ICE detention facility in McCook to show support for immigrants and detainees held at detention centers across the country.
The protest took place on Highway 83, just south of the newly opened facility.
McCook organizer Courtnei Swanson said the facility does not represent the community.
“My thoughts were that it was absolutely god-awful. It should never have been turned into an ICE facility. It should have stayed the same as it was as a work ethic camp,” Swanson said.
State Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha, who represents District 5, said conditions inside the facility concern her.
“When I was there, to my surprise, I saw that they were building isolation rooms and I learned this week that Homeland Security requested that they be built,” Juarez said.
A group of protesters said they attended because someone they know was detained by ICE. Sophia Baker said a member of her Sketch Club has been detained.
“One of our members from Sketch Club has been detained by ICE, and we’re here to support him and we’re here to support everybody because we think that no human is illegal,” Baker said.
Julie Tye of Kearney said she wants to see the facility returned to its previous use.
“They provided good service to the community of McCook and that function is no longer happening for those people, and I think that’s wrong,” Tye said.
The event also included speakers sharing personal stories. The protest extended beyond immigration advocacy to honor those who died or are missing as a result of ICE detention.
The demonstration aimed to raise awareness about immigration detention and advocate for the dignity and rights of immigrants and their families.
The event was hosted by Nebraska Voices, a McCook-based community group, in partnership with Taco Tuesday Familia and organizations from across the state.
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