Portrait of a Battleground: The Next Frontier of Political and Legal Challenges Over ICE Deportations
Federal authorities are ramping up efforts to locate facilities that could be used in deportation efforts, according to a Freedom of Information Act request by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The documents reveal that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a request for information to “identify possible detention facilities to house noncitizens and immigration violators in support of its public safety mission.”
ICE is seeking detention facilities in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kentucky, Kansas, southern Texas, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada. These facilities could be either publicly or privately owned and operated. The request specifies that ICE is looking for between 850 to 950 detention beds, with 15 to 20 percent allocated for female detainees.
The beds would be for noncitizens classified at low, medium, or high-security levels, with certain facilities designated for higher-security detainees, including separate housing units for those with medium-high or high custody levels.
The requests, due by June 23, identified the Nevada Southern Detention Center as one of the possible locations to be used in deportation activities. The detention facility is located in Pahrump, Nevada, and is run by CoreCivic Inc., the largest private prison operator in the US. As of 2023, CoreCivic operates 43 prisons and jails with a total capacity of 65,000 beds.
Executive Director of ACLU of Nevada, Athar Haseebullah, told News3 Las Vegas:
For the Biden administration to lay this out, it raises a lot of questions. The Biden administration, in fact, has had the highest deportation numbers in years. But it's not surprising, because this issue and the national approach to immigration, whether you're a Democrat or Republican, over the course of time, has emanated into really a perverse system that is not just.
Haseebullah said:
It feeds right into the narrative of what the incoming administration is looking to do.
Nevada's Republican Governor, Joe Lombardo, has previously expressed support for stricter immigration policies, joining 25 other Republican governors in a statement backing President-elect Trump's approach to immigration. The statement emphasized their commitment to defending public safety and upholding the rule of law, saying, "We stand ready to utilize every tool at our disposal."
The letter said:
Republican governors remain fully committed to supporting the Trump Administration’s efforts to deport dangerous criminals, gang members, and terrorists who are in this country illegally. We understand the direct threat these criminal illegal immigrants pose to public safety and our national security, and we will do everything in our power to assist in removing them from our communities.
Together, we will continue to defend the American people, uphold the rule of law, and ensure our nation remains safe and secure for future generations. We stand ready to utilize every tool at our disposal—whether through state law enforcement or the National Guard—to support President Trump in this vital mission.
Lombardo, who previously served as the Sheriff of Clark County, is expected to face off against Attorney General Aaron Ford in the 2026 gubernatorial election. Ford, who recently signaled his intention to run for governor, has also made his position clear on the issue of mass deportations under a potential second Trump administration.
In response to the anticipated "America First" policies, Ford issued a strong statement, writing:
My hope is that the next four years pass by peacefully; that these concerns are unfounded; and that Trump oversees an administration that does not vilify communities that have been targets of hateful animus. But make no mistake, my office stands ready for the alternative, and we will be a bulwark against any effort to impose unconstitutional mandates, override our system of checks and balances, or intrude upon the rights of any Nevada resident.
This sets the stage for a fierce political showdown as the two prepare for a highly contentious gubernatorial race in 2026. It will be a battle not only between candidates but also in the courtroom, with both AG Ford’s office and the ACLU likely leading legal challenges against federal immigration policies and state cooperation.
The issue of immigration will shape Nevada’s leadership, a state where Trump won for the first time in a landslide—a result seen as a mandate for immigration reform and deportations. Nevada is poised to serve as a bellwether for political trends, legal challenges, and a test case for "America First" initiatives. The outcome could have far-reaching implications for both the state's political climate and national immigration policy.
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