WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - An immigration detention facility in Leavenworth, Kansas, was shut down by the federal government in 2021. Four years later, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) discovered that the facility could potentially reopen.
The ACLU first became aware of the possibility of the federal government expanding its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence in September 2024, when it requested details about agency proposals.
Documents obtained by the ACLU from the federal government indicate that the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE want to find potential detention facilities to house undocumented immigrants in Kansas and several other states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, south Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.
Freedom for Immigrants created the map above.
The prospect of a more prominent ICE presence, combined with President-elect Donald Trump’s intense focus on border security, has caused anxiety within some migrant communities.
Karla Juarez, a U.S. citizen living in Kansas City but born in Mexico, leads Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation (AIRR). This organization ensures that immigrants in Kansas and Missouri know their rights and have a safe place to call home.
“I’m a U.S. citizen, but I was also born in Mexico,” Juarez said. “If I tell an ICE agent that I was born in Mexico, they may start questioning me.”
Juarez is actively engaging with migrants. She finds that many immigrants are currently worried about the possibility of being placed in a detention center while they wait to receive their visas.
Depending on the applicant’s country of origin and the type of visa they are applying for, wait times can vary significantly. According to the Department of State, it can take three weeks to secure an appointment for work visas, while temporary visas can take up to 262 days.
The buildup to Trump’s inauguration has changed discussions among immigrant families.
“Our conversations during the holidays focused on knowing your rights,” Juarez shared. “Do you have a plan in case you get deported? Where will your children go?”
The questions Juarez posed to her friends and family may soon become more pressing for some.
Trump’s Republican colleagues have indicated that he plans to sign upwards of 100 executive orders related to deportations and border security on his first day in office.
The president-elect’s campaign emphasized border security, and his Republican allies in Congress appear to support him fully.
“We’re going to increase border security, whether that means building the wall, deploying more drug dogs, or hiring more ICE officers and detention beds,” Republican Senator Roger Marshall stated at a news conference.
Ten days before Inauguration Day, on January 9, Senator Marshall shared his commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve Trump’s goals regarding border security.
In the meantime, Juarez distributes “Red Cards” and “Yellow Cards” to everyone. These cards contain prepared statements in both English and Spanish for individuals if they encounter an ICE agent.
The cards say:
I do not give you permission to enter my home based on my 4th Amendment rights under the United States Constitution unless you have a warrant to enter signed by a judge or magistrate with my name on it that you slide under the door.
I do not give you permission to search any of my belongings based on my 4th Amendment rights.
I choose to exercise my constitutional rights.
In Spanish:
Usted tiene derechos constitucionales:
NO ABRA LA PUERTA si un agente de inmigración está tocando la puerta
NO CONTESTE NINGUNE PREGUNTA de un agente de inmigración si el trata de hablar con usted. Usted tiene el derecho de mantenerse callado.
NO FIRME NADA sin antes hablar con un abogado. Usted tiene el derecho de hablar con un abogado.
Si usted esta afuera de su casa, pregunte al agente si es libre para irse y si dice que si, váyase con tranquilidad.
ENTREGUE ESTA TARJETA AL AGENTE. Si usted está dentro de su casa, muestre la tarjeta por la ventana o pásela debajo de la puerta.