Context:

Cities across the United States are leveraging local laws to challenge the reopening of private prisons as immigrant detention centers, a move driven by federal efforts to expand detention capacity. Former corrections officer William Rogers recounts his traumatic experiences at a CoreCivic facility in Kansas, highlighting chronic understaffing and mismanagement. Despite past issues, CoreCivic plans to reopen the Leavenworth facility, prompting legal battles and community protests. Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka was arrested during a protest against reopening a detention center, underscoring local resistance. Immigrant rights advocates and former prison staff express grave concerns about the potential for unsafe conditions and human rights violations in these rapidly expanding detention centers.

Dive Deeper:

• William Rogers, a former corrections officer at CoreCivic, recalls being attacked by an inmate due to understaffing and mismanagement at the Leavenworth facility, which led to numerous preventable incidents. Despite CoreCivic's claim that past issues were isolated, Rogers remains a vocal critic of the facility's reopening as an immigrant detention center.

• The U.S. government, aiming to double immigration detention capacity, is seeking new contracts with private prison companies like CoreCivic, despite the poor conditions previously reported in many of these facilities. This has led to congressional proposals to significantly increase funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

• Local governments are actively opposing the reopening of these facilities, often through legal challenges and protests. Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka was arrested for protesting against the GEO Group's plans to reopen Delaney Hall in New Jersey, citing violations of rights and democratic principles.

• In Leavenworth, Kansas, CoreCivic faces legal hurdles as the city insists on a formal process for reopening the facility, which CoreCivic argues is unnecessary. The local government has passed a resolution requiring permission for reopening, reflecting broader community opposition.

• Immigrant rights advocates are deeply concerned about the expansion of ICE detention centers, warning of overcrowding and inhumane conditions. Reports of detainees lacking basic necessities highlight the urgent need for oversight and raise fears of history repeating itself in facilities with notorious pasts.

• Marcia Levering, a former CoreCivic employee injured during an inmate attack, protests the reopening of the Leavenworth facility, arguing that the company's refusal to follow established procedures exemplifies its profit-driven motives. Levering's personal ordeal underlines the potential risks associated with the rapid expansion of detention centers.