US Sen. John Fetterman issued further confirmation that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is scrapping plans for new detention centers in Schuylkill and Berks counties.
In a statement released Monday, the Pennsylvania Senator said, “I’m pleased to confirm ICE will not be moving forward with detention facilities in Tremont and Upper Bern townships.”
Last week, The New York Times reported that ICE is planning to sell off or transfer ownership of warehouse properties it purchased earlier this year as it moved away from plans to convert them into new detention centers for mass deportations.
READ: ICE Ditching Plans for Tremont Township Detention Center
One of those properties included the former Big Lots distribution center in Tremont Township. The federal government paid $119 million for the property. It also purchased an empty warehouse in Upper Bern Township.
In response to Coal Region Canary questions regarding the NYT article, a Dept. of Homeland Security spokesperson basically confirmed what was reported last week. They said, “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: DHS, in its emailed response, used ALL CAPS to emphasize that it was going to use current and not future detention centers for its immigration enforcement plans.)
The plan, as it was, was to convert the former Big Lots warehouse into a detention center capable of holding up to 7,500 detainees. Soon after the sale was completed, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection, at the orders of Gov. Josh Shapiro, essentially ordered halts on those plans by barring Tremont Township, Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, and ICE from occupying the building and using its water and sewage services.
Locals in Schuylkill County expressed concerns over the lack of water and sewer capacity as well as limited infrastructure resources, like EMS, police, and medical services.
By the federal government purchasing the property in Schuylkill County, it cost three taxing bodies about $1 million annually, including Schuylkill County government, Tremont Township, and Pine Grove Area School District.
“I appreciate that Sec. (Markwayne) Mullin recognized the negative impacts these facilities would have in Pennsylvania, including the direct threat to local economies and infrastructure, and cancelled these plans,” Fetterman said.
The senator added, “I will continue to work toward solutions with the administration and my Senate colleagues that properly address the broken immigration system while ensuring that our communities and law-abiding migrants are safe and protected.”
FULL COVERAGE
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