U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has purchased a large warehouse in Roxbury Township. It’s part of a plan to open a new immigrant detention and processing facility despite unified opposition from local officials and protests from residents.
The 470,000-square-foot building on Route 46, owned by Dalfen Industrial, will be used to hold detained individuals before they are transferred to other facilities. Once open, it will be New Jersey’s third immigrant detention center.
Town officials say they are preparing legal action.
Mayor Shawn Potillo and the township council said the facility is not appropriate for a suburban community, raising concerns about water, sewer, and public safety infrastructure. Residential homes sit just a few hundred feet away from the warehouse.
Officials also criticized the federal government for moving ahead with the plans without local approval or input.
Residents are pushing back.
Hundreds protested in recent weeks, arguing the facility would strain resources and tarnish the character of the community.
ICE Defends the Project as Trump Immigration Approval Drops
Federal officials defended the project.
ICE assures the site will meet national detention standards and is part of a broader effort to expand detention capacity across the U.S. The agency said the facility could create about 1,300 jobs, generate more than $39 million in tax revenue, and contribute over $161 million to the economy. However, ICE’s defense does not address the root cause of the concerns.
The project is part of a nationwide expansion directed by the Department of Homeland Security under the administration of Donald Trump, which has prioritized increased immigration enforcement and detention space, even in the face of dwindling approval numbers in regards to immigration enforcement. Once Trump’s strongest issue, latest polls show 58% of Americans oppose immigration strategy in his second term.
New Jersey ICE Facility: What Elected Officials Are Saying
U.S. Senator Cory Booker called the purchase a betrayal of the community, accusing ICE of ignoring local concerns.
Senator Andy Kim said in a video statement that residents overwhelmingly oppose the project, claiming: “Nobody wants this here.”
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