ROXBURY, NJ – The Department of Homeland Security has sparked a bil-partisan protest in North Jersey after it was announced the agency was seeking to purchase a warehouse and use it as a migrant detention facility.
A sprawling 474,000-square-foot warehouse on Route 46 has become the center of a political firestorm after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) quietly finalized its purchase for conversion into a high-capacity immigration detention facility. The deal, confirmed Friday by Roxbury Township officials, came just days after federal agencies denied any such transaction — a move local leaders now call deceitful and “morally indefensible.”
The property, formerly owned by Dalfen Industrial, will be transformed into a “turnkey” detention and processing center capable of holding up to 1,500 detainees. The project, part of a broader Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expansion plan, has drawn condemnation from both Democratic and Republican leaders across New Jersey who say ICE misled the public and disregarded local governance.
Rep. Rob Menendez blasted the Trump Administration for what he described as “a betrayal of the public’s trust,” accusing ICE and DHS of repeatedly lying to Americans while “relentlessly attacking our communities.” Menendez vowed continued efforts to halt the facility and “fight for the soul of the nation.”
Sen. Cory Booker echoed that outrage, calling the deal “tens of millions of dollars to warehouse human beings.” He said ICE ignored repeated outreach from his office and township leaders. “This agency doesn’t just lack oversight — it lacks conscience,” Booker said Friday. “The Roxbury community is united, resolute, and has said no.”
Local officials say the township lacks infrastructure to sustain a facility of this size, citing environmental, water, and sewer capacity issues. Roxbury’s all-Republican council passed a unanimous resolution opposing the project and announced plans for legal action to block it. “We will not passively accept this outcome,” the council said in a statement.
Growing political and legal backlash
Community advocates with the group “No ICE Jails in Northern NJ” said they are prepared for a long legal battle, calling the federal government’s approach “a secretive and deceitful process.” The Washington Post first reported the potential sale last year, triggering months of protests, petitions, and bipartisan resolutions of opposition.
State and federal lawmakers have pledged to use every tool available — from environmental reviews to funding blocks — to stop construction before detainees are moved in. Meanwhile, ICE officials have not commented on the confirmed sale beyond acknowledging the property transfer.
- ICE purchased the 474,000 sq. ft. warehouse at 1879 Route 46 in Roxbury for detention use
- Local, state, and federal officials from both parties condemn the move as deceptive
- Roxbury Township preparing lawsuits to halt facility development
Local leaders demand accountability
New Jersey Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia expressed outrage at the lack of communication, saying the town was blindsided “without any real discussion about what it means for water capacity, sewer limits, emergency response, and our schools.”