ICE confirms purchase of Chester facility for detention center
Federal officials cite recent arrests of individuals convicted of serious crimes as opposition and protests grow.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement has confirmed it has purchased a facility in Chester that will be converted into a detention center.
In a statement to News 12, ICE said the site will meet its “regular detention standards” and is part of expanded detention space in New York.
Federal officials say the additional capacity is aimed at targeting what the agency describes as “criminal illegal aliens,” including individuals convicted of homicide, rape, gang-related offenses and drug trafficking.
ICE says 70% of its arrests involve individuals charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States and that expanded detention space allows the agency to hold people pending removal proceedings.
ICE also released mug shots of several individuals arrested in New York as examples of the types of cases it says it is prioritizing.
The property at 29 Elizabeth Drive had previously been described as a proposed purchase. Federal officials have now confirmed the transaction is complete.
The move comes amid growing bipartisan opposition from Hudson Valley lawmakers, who have raised concerns about infrastructure, public safety and transparency. A joint letter was recently sent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security opposing the project.
Local officials say they were not consulted before the sale was finalized and that the federal government has not coordinated with town or county leaders about next steps.
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus says the county is now preparing for what he described as a potential “local emergency management nightmare,” particularly if detainees begin arriving by bus and protests erupt.
“It becomes a local emergency management nightmare,” Neuhaus said.
Neuhaus said he has spoken with the governor’s office and requested additional support from the New York State Police and the National Guard if necessary should protests escalate.
“We need to protect the public. We need to protect the peaceful protesters. We need to protect everybody that shows up,” he said.
Town and county officials also say the building — currently a former warehouse — is not equipped to detain individuals as it stands and would require major modifications before it could operate as a detention center.
Chester and county leaders say they have concerns about the lack of communication from federal authorities regarding how construction and upgrades would comply with local building codes, infrastructure capacity and law enforcement coordination.
Neuhaus also says federal officials have applied through the Environmental Protection Agency to install fencing and a watchtower near portions of the property that include wetland areas, raising additional environmental and regulatory questions locally.
Officials say they still have not been provided a timeline for when ICE plans to move in, and it remains unclear how quickly the facility could become operational.
Rep. Pat Ryan sharply criticized the federal government’s handling of the project.
“Secretary [Kristi} Noem can tell however many lies she wants in statements to the press. It does nothing to hide the fact that our community strongly rejects ICE building a mass detention-facility right in our backyard,” Ryan said. “It’s shameful, un-American, and the exact opposite of everything the Hudson Valley stands for. There is not a single local elected official, Democratic or Republican, who wants this or has even been consulted for that matter.”
State Sen. James Skoufis says the state is preparing to take legal action in an effort to block the facility from opening.
“It’s definitely not the end of this fight,” Skoufis said.
Immigration advocates warn the impact could be far-reaching. Ignacio Acevedo of the NYCLU says the facility could separate families and disrupt communities.
“This is going to break families. It’s going to affect the economy,” Acevedo said.
The confirmation of the sale comes as protests and student walkouts tied to immigration enforcement have increased across the Hudson Valley. In recent weeks, rallies have been held in Orange and Rockland counties, and hundreds of Newburgh Free Academy students walked out of class in protest of ICE activity.
Reaction on News 12’s social media platforms reflects a sharply divided community. Some residents argue that stronger immigration enforcement is necessary for public safety and support ICE’s expansion. Others say the facility does not reflect Hudson Valley values and fear it could change the character of the community.
News 12 has reached out to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office for comment and is awaiting a response.
For now, key questions remain unanswered — including when detainees could begin arriving, how extensive the required upgrades may be, and whether potential legal action from the state could delay or prevent the facility from opening.
