More than 50 testify against proposed Nebraska ICE facility

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The repurposing of the Work Ethic Camp near McCook into an immigrant detention center was on the discussion table Friday at a legislative hearing.

The Urban Affairs Committee heard concerns from people all over the state about why the facility doesn’t belong in Nebraska.

“I have to fight back; that was my immediate reaction,” longtime Grand Island resident Guillermo Pena-Velladares said. “Not here.”

One after another, people stepped up to the microphone, sharing fears about safety, community trust and the future of their children.

More than 50 people testified, all against the proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

Many read Bible verses as their testimony.

Protesters rallied outside the governor’s mansion and state capitol early Friday morning.

Many entered the hearing upset because Gov. Jim Pillen announced he would not be attending.

“I think he’s afraid to see the true humanity, and like I said in the testimony, the true agricultural hands that hold up his farm and everybody else in Nebraska,” Pena-Velladares said. “He’s afraid to see our tears.”

Senators called out the empty chairs of state officials, including from the Department of Corrections.

“I would rather them just show up and answer questions in front of the people,” Sen. Terrell McKinney said.

Many people held back tears as they spoke about the impact the facility could have on families.

Even students from the University of Nebraska testified before heading off to class.

And the youngest testifier? A 12-year-old who read from the children’s book “Mama, Do You Love Me?” but replaced the word “mama” with “state.”

“State, do you love me?” he said. “No, I do not.”

Some worried that the ICE facility would make Nebraska an unsafe place for immigrants.

“Now I fear my mother’s broken English might be a problem,” Pena-Velladares said.