Proposal to reconcile ICE detention facility

Dear Editor:

Many others and I are doing our patriotic duty since President Trump declared a national emergency at the border. That means the Governor should fund that emergency, such as a detention center, as in the past history of this country. The Vietnam War and this detention center in our country have shown division. Congress needs to declare a national emergency to keep everyone united, as World War II showed us.

I am asking, is Nebraska going to fund this detention center at the Work Ethic Camp? Why would the Governor do this when he is working on property tax relief for Nebraska?

Others and I want to locate the detention center northwest of McCook. Several times through the years, I have told elected officials in Washington that if there is a national emergency, we would let the government have our property for a dollar lease for 100 years.

We would like elected officials to offer Nebraska Public Power a dollar lease for 100 years to locate it on their property. It has a water and sewer plant that was put into operation a few years ago for 600 dollars. This property joins other properties that were used by the military, who determined this was the best site in Red Willow County. Also, through the years, there has been a grain elevator, a co-op, manufacturing, warehouse storage, and farming located there as well. The detention center could lease a building for storage if needed.

Since Trenton, Culbertson, Bartley, and Indianola are 20 minutes from the site, they could be the host cities for the employees of the center. That means the government too should have funding for these towns for employee needs such as housing, schools, recreation centers, grocery stores, etc., as in the government’s past history.

Indianola had a prisoner of war camp that was similar to a detention center, and several Nebraska towns had a military base, all being a low-end threat.

There is evidence that Red Willow law enforcement will need additional officers for a detention center, no matter where located.

— Dale Cotton, McCook