What’s Happening
The federal government is making more room to hold people who enter our country illegally. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased its detention capacity in Southern Nevada and three other states.
CoreCivic, a company that runs private detention centers, announced last month that they’re adding up to 784 beds at facilities in Nevada, Ohio, and Oklahoma. They’re also adding 252 more beds at a center in Mississippi.
One of these facilities is the Nevada Southern Detention Center in Pahrump. This center already holds about 800 inmates under a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service, and has housed ICE detainees since 2016.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
Remember when President Trump promised to crack down on illegal immigration during his campaign? Well, this is him keeping that promise. Many conservatives have long worried about the costs of illegal immigration – from security concerns to the burden on taxpayers who foot the bill for services.
An Emerson College Poll showed that 48 percent of Americans support Trump’s immigration policies, while 40 percent oppose them. This suggests that despite what the mainstream media often claims, many Americans want stronger border enforcement.
For those of us who believe in the rule of law, this expansion helps ensure that our immigration laws actually mean something. It’s pretty simple: countries have borders, and those borders should be respected. When they’re not, there need to be consequences.
What the Other Side is Saying
Not everyone is happy about this, of course. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized the expansion of detention facilities. Athar Haseebullah, who runs the ACLU’s Nevada chapter, claimed that:
“Expanding ICE presence in Nevada will tear families apart, erode trust in law enforcement and make Nevada less safe.”
CoreCivic, the company running these detention centers, defended their work. Their spokesperson Ryan Gustin said:
“Our responsibility is to care for each person respectfully and humanely while they receive the legal due process that they are entitled to.”
A surprise inspection of the Nevada facility last year found it was following the rules, with only three minor “deficiencies.” The report also noted that detainees who were interviewed didn’t report any “discrimination, mistreatment or abuse” and were “satisfied” with the services.
The Local Picture
What’s interesting about Southern Nevada is how different jurisdictions are handling immigration enforcement. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has an informal agreement with ICE at the Clark County Detention Center, which sets certain parameters for cooperation. This is one example of how local and federal authorities have established working relationships regarding immigration enforcement.
Henderson police also works with federal immigration authorities and has arrangements to hold ICE detainees at the city’s jail.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has a formal 287(g) agreement with ICE, which is different from the arrangements in Clark County and Henderson. This type of formal agreement allows local law enforcement officers to be trained and authorized to perform certain immigration law enforcement functions. In Douglas County’s case, the agreement specifically applies to operations within their jail.
What Might Come Next
With President Trump back in office since January, we’re likely to see more moves like this across the country. CoreCivic’s CEO Damon Hininger hinted at this when he said:
“We are entering a period where our government partners, particularly our federal government partners, are expected to have increased demand.”
For conservatives, this raises both opportunities and questions about the proper role of government. While many of us support enforcing immigration laws, some conservatives might question whether private prison contracts are the most cost-effective or appropriate way to handle this issue.
The situation highlights an ongoing tension between federal immigration enforcement and local practices. Officials have been quiet about how immigration enforcement is playing out in Southern Nevada since Trump took office in January.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
