Metro Philadelphia
The proposed conversion of two warehouses in Berks and Schuylkill counties into large-scale U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers will not move forward, according to the Shapiro Administration.
The announcement came after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) withdrew its appeal of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) administrative orders that blocked the use of water and sewer infrastructure needed to convert the facilities into detention centers.
In a letter to DEP, DHS confirmed that ICE “will not be using [either] property as a detention center.”
With the appeal withdrawn, the DEP’s administrative orders are now final and will remain in effect. State officials said DEP will continue closely monitoring these facilities to ensure DHS follows through on its stated intention.
“From the beginning, I’ve been clear that these warehouses should not be used as ICE detention centers because they are not suitable for people,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro. “Converting them to detention centers would have posed serious risks to the health, safety, and infrastructure of the surrounding communities.”
The proposed detention centers had drawn opposition from both state and local officials, as well as residents in both counties. The facilities would have housed up to 9,000 detainees combined, raising concerns about the impact on water and sewer systems, emergency services, public safety and local finances.
The Berks County proposal, located in Upper Bern Township, called for a detention center housing up to 1,500 people. State officials said the project would have placed additional demands on wastewater treatment and emergency services while reducing local property tax revenue.
The larger proposal in Schuylkill County, located in Tremont Township, would have held as many as 7,500 detainees. According to the administration, the facility’s projected water demand exceeded the community’s existing capacity and would have strained emergency services while eliminating roughly $1 million in annual property tax revenue.
The Shapiro Administration had opposed the projects since they were announced, arguing the warehouse conversions posed environmental, public health and infrastructure concerns.
In February, Shapiro met with local elected officials and community leaders from Berks and Schuylkill counties, along with officials from the departments of Health, Labor & Industry and Environmental Protection, to discuss the proposals. The administration also sent two separate letters to DHS outlining concerns about the projects’ potential impact on local infrastructure, emergency services and compliance with Pennsylvania law.
Keywords
ICE,
immigration,
immigration detention,
Pennsylvania,
Berks County,
Schuylkill County,
Josh Shapiro,
Department of Homeland Security,
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,
state government