By Myrek Zastavnyi
CHESTER — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has confirmed plans to convert a warehouse in the Chester Industrial Park into a detention facility, a proposal that is drawing mounting opposition from elected officials across multiple levels of government.
A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the agency has purchased the former Pep Boys warehouse property and intends to transform it into what was described as a “very well-structured” detention center.
According to ICE, the site will undergo community impact studies and a due diligence process to assess effects on local utilities and infrastructure before development proceeds. No timetable for opening has been announced.
The proposal has sparked pushback from federal, state, county, and municipal representatives. A total of 53 elected officials signed a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security opposing the project.
In their letter, officials wrote that the facility “lacks the required planning and coordination and lacks the necessary infrastructure to serve the 1,500 anticipated detainees.” They also raised concerns about health, safety, and the long-term stability of the surrounding community.
The site, located within the Chester Industrial Park, is subject to restrictive covenants requiring compliance with state and local approvals. Opponents argue that converting the warehouse into a detention center is inconsistent with the industrial park’s intended purpose as a commercial and economic hub for the Village and Town of Chester and for Orange County more broadly.
Additional concerns have been raised about the property’s environmental status. Officials noted that portions of the site include federally regulated wetlands and that the property lies within a FEMA-designated flood plain.
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said he has contacted Governor Kathy Hochul seeking additional state resources should the project move forward, citing the potential for large protests and counter-protests.
“I have asked her to have the New York State Police help our local law enforcement,” Neuhaus said, adding that the cost of managing large-scale demonstrations could run into the thousands of dollars. He also said he requested that the National Guard be placed on standby.
ICE officials, meanwhile, have emphasized projected economic benefits. The agency estimates the facility and associated construction would generate approximately 1,246 jobs, contribute $153.4 million to the region’s gross domestic product, and produce more than $37 million in tax revenue.
The ICE spokesperson stated that 70 percent of individuals arrested by the agency are charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States and said expanded detention space would help remove “criminal illegal aliens” from communities.
Opponents have countered that placing a detention facility near youth-oriented training facilities raises public safety concerns and could alter the character of the area.
With no timeline announced and multiple legal and regulatory questions outstanding, the proposed detention center is likely to remain a focal point of local and statewide debate in the weeks ahead.
