(KAIR)--The city of Leavenworth is suing CoreCivic, a private corrections company seeking to operate an immigrant detention center in the city.

The Kansas News Service reports that the city is asking a federal court to block the corporation from housing detainees on behalf of federal immigration authorities.

The filing says CoreCivic needs a special use permit before it can reopen the former prison, which has been inactive since 2021.

CoreCivic argues that local rules do not require a permit, which would involve several weeks of public hearings.

The company has said it plans to resume operations in the coming weeks.

In an email to the Kansas News Service, a CoreCivic spokesperson reaffirmed the company- position that they do not need a special use permit to operate in Leavenworth.