ALBANY – Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James both voiced concerns to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Friday afternoon about the proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in the Village of Chester.
The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Bureau also sent letters to DHS on Friday, citing environmental concerns about the proposed project.
“DHS and ICE cannot risk harm to our environment by constructing facilities in our communities in violation of our environmental protection laws,” James said. “My office will continue defending New Yorkers’ rights and protecting the Hudson Valley.”
“At a time when masked ICE agents are running roughshod over the constitutional rights of Americans, ICE has commenced a secretive, rushed process to build a detention facility that community leaders—Democrats and Republicans alike—do not want, and may violate federal, state, and local law,” Hochul added. “My administration will not stand for it.”
In a letter to the DHS, the DEC noted that the project would be located within a sensitive area with archaeological resources. If any DEC permits are required, a determination of impact from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) would be required.
It also informed the DHS of a non-exhaustive set of applicable state laws that would apply should it seek to proceed with the acquisition and the Project, based on the limited information available, noting that resources at the site must be appropriately considered in accordance with applicable state legal requirements. The DEC letter was CC’d to Orange County Attorney Rick Golden and Village of Chester Mayor John Bell.
James’ office noted that the eight-day comment period for residents and agencies provided by the DHS, which ended on Friday, was insufficient. The Attorney General requested that the feds re-notice the Proposed Action with additional information regarding site modification and planned operation, and re-open the public comment period on the Notice for at least 95 days.
Under ICE’s proposal, detainees would be held in 23 renovated industrial warehouses capable of housing up to 80,000 immigrants at a time, rather than being transferred to existing detention facilities nationwide. According to the DHS website, “ICE is proposing to purchase, occupy, and rehabilitate a warehouse property at 29 Elizabeth Drive, Chester, NY, in support of ICE operations.”
The plan has drawn harsh criticism from, among others, Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY-18), Senator James Skoufis (D, Orange County), and Republican Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus. On Thursday, an ICE spokesperson defended the plan, although they would not comment on the proposed Chester site.
“It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and is actively working to expand detention space,” an ICE spokesperson said.
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