Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)
Today, following her calls, Representative Sharice Davids welcomed news that a company seeking to use land in south Kansas City for a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility will no longer move forward with the sale, following strong community opposition.
“Community voices matter,” said Davids. “This site was intended to support economic development and job creation — not to house a massive ICE detention facility that would strain infrastructure, divert resources from local law enforcement, and undermine public safety. I’m glad to see this proposal halted and will keep working on thoughtful immigration policies that provide a clear pathway to citizenship, secure our border from violent crime and drug trafficking, and do not overwhelm our systems.”
Earlier this week, Davids publicly opposed the proposed 7,500-bed detention center and sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers about the administration’s plans to expand large-scale immigration detention facilities in the Kansas City metro area. Representative Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) made a similar demand this week.
Davids’ letter raised concerns about the impact of large-scale detention centers on local emergency services, law enforcement resources, economic development agreements, and public safety. She also requested detailed information about federal coordination with local officials, the use of local taxpayer-funded resources, and safeguards to protect American citizens and legal residents.
While the proposal in Kansas City, Missouri will not currently move forward, a separate contract remains in place between ICE and CoreCivic to house detainees at a facility in Leavenworth, Kansas. Davids is awaiting formal responses from the Department of Homeland Security to the questions outlined in her letter.