Kansas tribe ends nearly $30 million deal with ICE

Kansas Tribe Exits $30 Million Immigration Detention Center Contract Amid Backlash

The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has withdrawn from a nearly $30 million federal contract to develop preliminary designs for immigrant detention centers following intense public criticism. The Kansas-based tribe announced its decision Wednesday night, just over a week after firing the economic development leaders who had brokered the deal with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The contract had sparked widespread condemnation across Native American communities, with critics calling the agreement “disgusting” and “cruel.” The backlash intensified as many pointed out the historical irony of a tribe whose ancestors were forcibly relocated from the Great Lakes region to Kansas two centuries ago now potentially participating in the detention of immigrants.

Tribal Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick acknowledged these concerns in a video statement last week, noting that reservations were “the government’s first attempts at detention centers.” In his Wednesday update, he confirmed the tribe had “successfully exited all third-party related interests affiliated with ICE.”

The controversy highlights tensions between tribal economic development goals and cultural values. The Prairie Band Potawatomi operates various businesses spanning healthcare management staffing, general contracting, and interior design. Rupnick indicated tribal officials plan to meet in January to establish guidelines ensuring future “economic interests do not come into conflict with our values.”

At the center of the controversy was KPB Services LLC, a tribal offshoot established in April in Holton, Kansas. The company was founded by Ernest C. Woodward Jr., a former naval officer who marketed himself as a specialist in helping tribes secure federal contracts. A tribal spokesperson confirmed that while KPB still holds the contract, “Prairie Band no longer has a stake.”

Woodward is no longer affiliated with the tribe’s limited liability corporation, though officials declined to specify whether he was terminated. Attempts to contact Woodward were unsuccessful, and he did not respond to inquiries sent to Chinkapin Partners LLC, another consulting firm he’s associated with.

The ICE contract, initially awarded in October for $19 million, was later modified to increase the ceiling to $29.9 million for “due diligence and concept designs” for processing and detention centers throughout the United States. Industry observers note the figure falls just under the $30 million threshold that would require additional justification under federal contracting rules for sole-source agreements.

Questions remain about why KPB Services was selected for such a substantial contract without competitive bidding, which is typically required in federal contracting. The tribal leadership has also been vague about what the Tribal Council knew regarding the contract details before public backlash erupted.

“That process of internal auditing is really just beginning,” the tribal spokesperson said, suggesting ongoing internal review of how the controversial contract was approved.

The situation comes amid heightened national debate over immigration policies and enforcement. Recent ICE operations have reportedly detained some Native Americans during immigration raids, further intensifying criticism of the tribe’s initial involvement with detention facility planning.

For many indigenous communities, the Prairie Band Potawatomi’s withdrawal represents an important recognition of shared historical trauma related to displacement and confinement. The case highlights the complex balancing act tribal nations face in pursuing economic opportunities while remaining faithful to cultural values and historical awareness.

Neither tribal leaders nor the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have provided detailed responses to questions about the contract’s initial approval process and subsequent termination.