LINCOLN, Neb. —

Some Nebraska lawmakers renewed their call for a public hearing on plans to convert a state prison in McCook into an ICE detention center as the facility empties of its inmates.

"The legislature wants to be more involved with these decisions that are being made," state Sen. Margo Juarez of Omaha said. "It's not showing a leadership of compassion. It's not showing that you care about who's in our community."

MORE COVERAGE: 'Continues to make progress':

The state's prison watchdog, Doug Koebernick, shed light on the process unfolding in southwestern Nebraska during an interview on Friday.

"Over the last few weeks, we would have people call us and tell us that they were being told that they're going to be out by such and such date," Koebernick, who serves as inspector gen

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