CHESTER – The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday confirmed its plans to transform a Chester warehouse into a “very well-structured” detention center.
Meanwhile, the proposed facility continues to receive pushback from federal, state, county, and municipal elected officials. A total of 53 representatives has signed a letter sent to the Department of Homeland Security opposing the proposed ICE detention center at the former Pep Boys warehouse.
A spokesperson for ICE confirmed that the agency has bought a facility in Chester.
“Sites will undergo community impact studies and a rigorous due diligence process to make sure there is no hardship on local utilities or infrastructure prior to purchase,” the spokesperson said.
According to ICE, the facility and its construction are expected to bring more than 1,246 jobs to the area and would contribute $153.4 million to GDP. It’s also projected to bring in more than $37.2 million in tax revenue.
“These economic benefits don’t even take into account that removing criminals from the streets makes communities safer for business owners and customers,” the spokesperson said. “ICE is targeting criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members and more. 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities.”
The spokesperson also included some of the public safety threats arrested by ICE in the state, including rapists, gang members, drug dealers and murderers. A timetable for the opening of the facility was not provided.
In the letter to Homeland Security, local officials against the detention center wrote:
“We are united that this facility lacks the required planning and coordination and lacks the necessary infrastructure to serve the 1,500 anticipated detainees. “We are united in maintaining the health, safety, and stability of our residents and constituents with whom we represent.”
They point out that the property is subject to restrictive covenants requiring that any use of the property be approved in accordance with state and local requirements. “The proposed use of the property as a detention facility is without approval and is inconsistent with the purpose of the Chester Industrial Park which is to serve as a commercial, economic engine to the Village and Town of Chester, and more broadly Orange County,” the officials wrote.
Given that Secretary Kristi Noem has stated ICE will “continue to arrest the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” the local representatives have “major concerns regarding public safety” since the building is near two training facilities whose clients cater to youth sports. “This poses a direct threat to our children,” they said.
The site is also home to federal wetlands and is designated as a FEMA Flood Plain.
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