The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reportedly giving up on its plans for ICE detention and processing centers in Schuylkill and Berks counties.
The shift was reported Thursday by The New York Times, which says it obtained internal documents outlining the agency’s plan to either sell the properties or transfer them to other federal agencies. Hamed Aleaziz, the reporter who broke the story for The Times, says on his X account that the planned Tremont Township and Upper Bern Township facilities are among the seven properties the agency intends to shed.
ICE, in a comment to Coal Region Canary late Thursday night, seems to confirm the New York Times report. A department spokesperson says, “From day one, DHS has remained singularly focused on removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens from the United States and is always evaluating the best methods to do so. These heinous criminals, once arrested, should be removed at lightning speed, not housed on American soil at the taxpayer’s expense. DHS is moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners.” (NOTE: The emailed response uses all CAPS on the word EXISTING.)
In comments to The Canary on Thursday, US Rep. Dan Meuser (PA-9) said, “Upon learning of the purchase, I along with the Schuylkill and Berks County Commissioners met with DHS officials. We engaged in due diligence of what would be necessary to make the facilities operable and address community concerns.
This due diligence, and I give much credit to the County Commissioners, was taken very seriously by DHS officials and therefore DHS is perhaps considering reevaluating the initial plan,” Meuser tells The Canary.
The Congressman adds, “Should the initial plan move forward, we secured favorable commitments from DHS that would be beneficial to our community. Nevertheless, in an effort to fully cooperate, DHS is engaged in their own evaluation of the sites being developed.
“I remain in close contact with Secretary (Markwayne) Mullin and look forward to providing a full update once a decision is made and we have details on how this will impact our community.”
ICE spent more than $700 million acquiring the seven warehouses before reversing course. The federal government closed on the former Big Lots distribution center in Tremont Township and the warehouse in Berks County at the end of January. It paid $119 million for the Schuylkill County location.
The proposed Tremont Township facility was slated to hold up to 7,500 detainees awaiting deportation and would have been one of the largest such facilities in the country.
In total, DHS purchased 11 warehouses nationwide for approximately $1 billion to rapidly expand its detention capacity. Those purchases are part of an ongoing investigation by the DHS inspector general.
Soon after the sales were completed locally, the state’s Dept. of Environmental Protection, at the order of Gov. Josh Shapiro, imposed administrative orders on DHS, Tremont Township, and Schuylkill County Municipal Authority that essentially halted any operation of a detention center at the former Big Lots warehouse.
DHS’ decision also prompted pushback among Tremont area residents who publicly expressed concerns about the proposed detention center’s impact on natural resources and public infrastructure and safety. The purchase by the federal government also made the property exempt from local taxes, a decision that cost Schuylkill County government, Tremont Township, and Pine Grove Area School District about a combined $1 million in annual property tax revenue.
Schuylkill County government did not take an official stance on the warehouse in Tremont Township, though Commissioner Gary Hess did come out publicly as being against it. The County did, however, submit reports to DHS that detailed the limitations at the Tremont Township site, namely a lack of water supply and sewage facilities.
Commissioners Chairman Larry Padora, in comments to Coal Region Canary upon reading the report from The New York Times, credited Meuser with facilitating meetings between the County and local taxing bodies affected by the warehouse purchase.
“We did their due diligence for them. We inundated them with so much information. It gave us the ability to provide all the information on water and sewer capacity, the impact on emergency responders, 9-1-1, our healthcare system … I think it had an impact on DHS’ (reported) decision,” Padora said. “I stand with the president on his stance on illegal immigration but as a county commissioner my job was to make sure the county wasn’t impacted negatively by the sale of the Big Lots warehouse.”
Meuser and Padora have said publicly that the federal government has promised to make the local taxing bodies whole on the lost tax revenue by making a payment in lieu of taxes. About whether the federal government sells the property or gives it to another agency, Padora said, “It doesn’t matter to me if they sell it or don’t sell it. I still want the payment in lieu of taxes. If they sell it, it’ll be back on the tax rolls.”
FULL COVERAGE
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Pappy T
June 19, 2026 at 2:45 am
They didn’t abandon it…it cane down to illegals wanting a better place to get processed , because they even know this area has become a cesspool.
Jack
June 22, 2026 at 6:00 am
A waste of tax dollars and a loss of local tax revenue for an economically depressed county.
Thanks trump.