Governor Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport are celebrating after reports that the federal government has backed away from plans to convert a Roxbury warehouse into a large-scale immigration detention facility.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport declared victory this week after reports emerged that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is no longer pursuing a controversial detention center project in Roxbury Township.
The proposed facility, which faced strong opposition from local officials and residents, would have transformed a warehouse into a detention center capable of housing thousands of detainees.
In a joint statement, Sherrill and Davenport said the project posed serious legal, environmental, and infrastructure concerns.
“Today the New York Times is reporting that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is backing down on its mass detention center in Roxbury,” the statement said. “That is a big win for public safety, for the township of Roxbury, and for New Jersey.”
State Joined Roxbury’s Legal Fight
The dispute centered on plans to use a warehouse facility in Roxbury Township as a large-scale detention center.
State officials argued the site was never designed to house large numbers of people and lacked the infrastructure necessary to support such an operation.
According to Sherrill and Davenport, New Jersey joined Roxbury Township in legal proceedings aimed at stopping the project.
“DHS’s plans were always illegal: the Roxbury warehouse is a logistics center fit for packages, not thousands of people,” the statement said.
The governor and attorney general argued the proposal would have placed significant strain on local water and sewer systems while affecting environmentally sensitive areas.
Environmental and Infrastructure Concerns Raised
Throughout the dispute, opponents questioned whether local infrastructure could support the facility.
State officials contended the project threatened nearby environmentally sensitive lands and could have negatively impacted public services in the region.
The legal challenge ultimately halted progress on the project while the matter worked its way through the courts.
Sherrill and Davenport credited cooperation between state officials and local leaders for the outcome.
Officials Say Issue Crossed Party Lines
The statement emphasized that opposition to the detention center was not based on political affiliation.
“This isn’t a partisan issue and we’re grateful for our partnership with the Roxbury community as we keep DHS’s feet to the fire to ensure this facility is never opened,” the statement said.
Federal officials have not yet publicly announced any final decision regarding the proposed facility.
However, state leaders characterized reports that DHS is backing away from the project as a significant victory for Roxbury residents and local government officials who opposed the plan from the beginning.
Key Points
• Governor Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport say DHS is abandoning plans for a detention center in Roxbury.
• New Jersey joined Roxbury Township in court to challenge the project.
• State officials argued the warehouse was not suitable for housing detainees and raised environmental and infrastructure concerns.