NJ, Roxbury file suit against DHS over planned detention center

DHS buys Berks County warehouse to use as ICE detention center

The Trump administration purchased a vacant warehouse in Berks County for $84M to use as an immigration detention center.

TRENTON, N.J. - The State of New Jersey and the Township of Roxbury have filed a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop plans to convert a vacant warehouse into a large-scale immigration detention facility, according to a press release from Gov. Mikie Sherrill's office.

The lawsuit asks the court to officially declare the government’s actions wrong and to stop them from continuing to convert the space. It claims that the federal government broke several federal laws when deciding to renovate the warehouse at 1879 Route 46 in Roxbury. These laws include how agencies should make decisions, protect the environment and handle immigration, the release states. 

The complaint additionally claims that the federal government didn’t consult with state or local officials regarding the plan, and the press release states that the first time New Jersey officials heard about the plan was through a newspaper article. 

Sherrill, Roxbury officials oppose ICE center citing safety and infrastructure

What they're saying:

"DHS’s sole official document outlining plans for this project was a two-page letter dated January 14, 2026, to the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, asserting that no historic properties are affected by the planned conversion," the release said. 

"The safety and well-being of New Jerseyans will always be my top priority, and the Trump Administration’s plans for a detention facility in Roxbury will not make our residents safer," Sherrill said in a statement. "Instead, this facility will overburden local services and infrastructure." 

"These types of facilities also have a long track record of abuse, mistreatment and unsafe conditions," she added. "This is not a partisan issue – Republican leaders in the community are similarly against this facility." 

Mayor of Roxbury Township Shawn Potillo, a Republican, said in a statement that he commends the governor and the attorney general "for their swift and decisive action to help prevent the placement of an ICE detention center within our suburban community." 

The proposed facility in Roxbury. (State of New Jersey/Office of the Attorney General) 

"We remain confident that, through this process, it will be clearly demonstrated that this location is not appropriate for a facility of this nature, given the significant impacts it would have on our residents, local resources and the surrounding environment," he added. 

The complaint claims that the warehouse would be ill-equipped to handle up to 1,500 detainees and 1,000 staff, citing concerns about water, sewage and traffic infrastructure. The filing notes that the property is near Lake Musconetcong and Lake Hopatcong, which provide drinking water for much of the state, and states that increased water use could strain local systems. The lawsuit also cites potential economic impacts, including lost tax revenue and disruptions to local development and emergency services.

Other New Jersey officials speak out 

Dig deeper:

U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim of New Jersey have strongly opposed the facility as well—the lawmakers introduced the End Warehouse Detention Act last month. 

The legislation would "prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from using taxpayer dollars…to purchase warehouses or to use warehouses to detain non-citizens," according to a press release issued in February. 

U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim of New Jersey leave a Senate Democratic meeting at the U.S. Capitol Building on October 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

In fact, the entire New Jersey Democratic congressional delegation wrote in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year officially opposing the facility. 

"Any expansion of immigrant detention in New Jersey, especially under warehouse conditions that are fundamentally inappropriate for human habitation, contradicts both the interests and values of our state," the letter read. "We urge you to immediately cease any efforts to establish new detention facilities in New Jersey." 

According to the New Jersey Globe, Republican Assembly members Dawn Fantasia and Mike Inganamort have raised concerns about local infrastructure, including water and sewer capacity, as well. 

Trump administration pushes ICE expansion in multiple states

Big picture view:

The Trump administration is currently moving forward with a $38.3 billion initiative to transform empty warehouses across the U.S. into detention centers for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

These facilities are currently planned in Georgia, Maryland, Texas, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana and more.