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Governor Josh Shapiro has declared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities "do not belong in Pennsylvania," responding to recent federal warehouse purchases in Berks and Schuylkill counties.
The Democratic governor expressed strong opposition Tuesday to the Department of Homeland Security's acquisition of properties intended for immigration detention centers. The Trump administration recently finalized the $87.4 million purchase of a warehouse in Upper Bern Township, Berks County, and a $119.5 million purchase of a former Big Lots distribution center in Tremont Township, Schuylkill County.
"This is not what we need in Berks County. This is not what we need anywhere in Pennsylvania," Shapiro said during a press conference in Philadelphia. "The secretive way in which the federal government went about this undermines the trust with the people of Pennsylvania." The governor added that his administration is "exploring what legal options we may have to stop it," though he acknowledged those options are "fairly slim" given federal jurisdiction.
According to reporting from Spotlight PA, the Berks County facility could hold up to 1,500 people, while the Schuylkill County site could accommodate up to 7,500 detainees.
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, a Republican representing Pennsylvania's 9th Congressional District where both facilities are located, confirmed these figures after speaking with Trump administration officials. Meuser expressed "serious concerns" about the purchases and plans to convene a meeting between county officials and DHS representatives.
"Outstanding questions include water and sewage capacity, utility usage, transportation impacts, security considerations, potential impacts on local tax revenue and the overall operational plan," Meuser said in a statement.
U.S. Senator John Fetterman has also voiced opposition to the detention centers. In a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the Democratic senator wrote: "While I have been clear in my support for the enforcement of federal immigration law, this decision will do significant damage to these local tax bases, set back decades-long efforts to boost economic development, and place undue burdens on limited existing infrastructure in these communities."
Local officials have expressed similar concerns. Schuylkill County Commissioner Larry Padora noted that the Tremont sewage treatment plant and water system lack capacity to handle the proposed detention center. The acquisition will also result in significant tax revenue losses—approximately $1.6 million annually across both counties, according to Fetterman's office.
Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach expressed concern about the "total lack of transparency" surrounding the purchases. "No matter what you think about ICE … you should be very concerned about the process and how this is fundamentally changing what the plan was and what was approved literally overnight," Leinbach said during a county commissioners meeting.
State Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, a Reading Democrat who chairs the Legislative Latino Caucus, said the detention centers risk "provoking fear, disrupting families, and endangering the well-being of people—regardless of their citizenship status."
The purchases are part of a broader push by the Trump administration to acquire commercial warehouses for detention facilities across the country, funded by $45 billion approved by Congress through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Similar facilities are planned for Maryland, where Howard County recently revoked a building permit for a proposed detention center.
Governor Shapiro suggested that local permitting powers might provide an avenue to block the facilities. "Hopefully, the local government, who will likely have some permitting power here, hopefully they don't approve these permits," he said, adding that his administration would work closely with local partners to explore options.