Environmental review pauses proposed ICE detention facility in Roxbury

Plans to convert a warehouse into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Roxbury Township are on hold while the federal government completes an environmental review of the area.

As part of a joint lawsuit by Roxbury and the State of New Jersey to stop the federal government from converting the site at 1879 Route 46 due to water and sewage concerns, the plaintiffs noticed their intent last month to move for a preliminary injunction that would enjoin the federal government from proceeding with any activities to convert the warehouse into an immigration detention facility and operating it as such without first conducting certain environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act and without first consulting with state and local entities under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act.

However, work that does not disturb the ground, such as installing security cameras, is permitted while the environmental review takes place. There is no timeline for the review.

The joint stipulation to stay the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction was ordered on May 12 by U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper.

According to ICE, the 474,044-square-foot warehouse on 109 acres – previously owned by Dalfen Industrial – would serve as an immigration detention and processing center.

“[The facility] will be designed to accommodate 542 detainees within housing areas that will include standard dormitory pods, ADA compliant pods, and behavioral and special housing units.”

Background

Controversy has surrounded the facility since a four-day period in February when ICE announced it had purchased the warehouse, then retracted that announcement only to once again announce it had purchased the warehouse.

“It is with profound disappointment that we must inform our residents that [ICE] has closed on the property from Dalfen Industrial within Roxbury Township,” Roxbury Mayor Shawn Potillo and the Township Council said at the time. “The township previously, and unanimously, provided its opposition to a detention center via resolution. Critical issues – including infrastructure capacity, easements, significant environmental constraints and intermunicipal agreements – must be fully examined and weighed through the proper legal process.”

The same thing happened in the Village of Chester in Orange County, N.Y., on Friday, Feb. 13, ICE announced it had purchased a warehouse only to retract that statement days later. A similar mix-up occurred in other areas around the country in February, according to regional news outlets.

Like Roxbury, officials in Chester said the village lacked the infrastructure to house large numbers of detainees.