Resident recounts abuse and urges scrutiny as Leavenworth prepares review of CoreCivic ICE facility

A man who said he spent years in detention urged the Leavenworth City Commission on Monday to weigh human-rights concerns before deciding on any local approvals for the CoreCivic facility that houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees.

"This ain't a dollar decision. This ain't an immigration issue. This is a human rights issue," said William Rogers during public comment, describing injuries and staffing problems he said he experienced while detained.

The commission did not take action on the CoreCivic matter at the meeting. City staff told commissioners that CoreCivic has formally submitted an application for a special-use permit and that the process under city rules and state law will include a Planning Commission public hearing and subsequent City Commission consideration. "They have officially applied for that as of last Friday," said Scott (city staff), who outlined the schedule and outreach plan. He said the Planning Commission will hear the application at a public meeting and that the Commission will consider first reading on April 29, with later consideration to follow.

At the meeting Scott also described a separate, administrative procedural request staff plans to bring to the March 11 meeting: asking the commission to authorize staff to enter into negotiations related to an intergovernmental service agreement (IGSA) with CoreCivic and ICE. "We will be asking you to allow me and staff to go into negotiations with CoreCivic and with ICE as part of an intergovernmental service agreement," Scott said, adding that any final agreement would require a subsequent City Commission decision.

Commissioners and staff discussed sequencing. One commissioner said they preferred to wait and not authorize negotiations until after the special-use permit outcome, saying pre-emptive talks could influence the permit process. Scott said any option was available and that staff wanted direction on whether to proceed with negotiations before the zoning outcome.

The city also told commissioners it will publish a press release and make public the opportunities for comment and review. Scott said the city will post information on social media and its website and that staff will advise the public when and how they can comment at official hearings.

William Rogers urged commissioners to read a 2017 Department of Justice audit and to consider reported staffing and safety problems at the facility. "I've sent some of you, if not all of you, emails," Rogers said, offering his phone number and asking commissioners to consider the accounts of detainees and staff when they weigh the permit and any agreements.

Scott said CoreCivic had not previously held a special-use permit in the city, and that an ordinance change now requires it to obtain one; he said the city will notify the public of hearing dates and that CoreCivic has been encouraged by staff to hold public presentations. Commissioners said they expect staff to provide more information and to keep the public apprised as the Planning Commission and City Commission review the application and related items.

No votes were taken on CoreCivic at Monday's meeting; the Planning Commission public hearing date and the City Commission consideration dates were presented by staff as part of the review timeline.

What happens next: city staff said the Planning Commission will hear the special-use permit application on April 7, and the City Commission is scheduled for first consideration on April 29; staff also said it will bring an item to the March 11 meeting asking permission to enter negotiations related to an IGSA so commissioners can decide whether to authorize negotiations before, after or tied to the permit process.