BERKS CO., Pa. – Pennsylvania officials are responding to the Department of Homeland Security’s decision not to move forward with converting the Tremont Township and Upper Bern Township facilities into ICE detention centers.
Congressman Dan Meuser, who serves part of Berks County, is responding to a New York Times report that we told you about last week.
The report says ICE may be looking to offload warehouses that it bought to use as detention centers in Berks and Schuylkill counties.
Meuser says officials worked to make sure the centers will benefit the community, but he says DHS is doing its own evaluation.
He says he’s in close contact with Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and he’ll provide a full update once a decision is made.
ICE bought a warehouse in Upper Bern Township for $87 million earlier this year.
Following reports the Department of Homeland Security cancelled its plans to repurpose the warehouse facilities in Tremont and Upper Bern Townships into detention centers, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) released the following statement Monday:
“I’m pleased to confirm ICE will not be moving forward with detention facilities in Tremont and Upper Bern Townships…I appreciate that Secretary Mullin recognized the negative impacts these facilities would have in Pennsylvania—including the direct threat to local economies and infrastructure—and cancelled these plans…I will continue to work toward solutions with the administration and my Senate colleagues that properly address the broken immigration system while ensuring that our communities and law-abiding migrants are safe and protected.”
The proposed conversion of the facilities in Tremont Township and Upper Bern Township included transforming warehouses into 7,500- and 1,500-bed detention centers, respectively. Authorities say both townships do not have the capacity to meet the demands of these detention centers. Tremont Township officials stated the proposed 7,500-bed detention facility would quadruple the existing burden on their public infrastructure system.