PA Residents Fight Proposed 7,500-Bed ICE Detention Center in Schuylkill County | Petition & Fetterman’s Concerns

Pennsylvania Residents Fight Proposed 7,500-Bed ICE Detention Center

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pa. — Residents of Schuylkill County and supporters across Pennsylvania are mobilizing to oppose the conversion of a former Big Lots distribution center into a 7,500-bed detention facility operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A petition launched online aims to halt the project, with organizers expressing concerns about the potential impact on the community’s children, environment, infrastructure, and economic future.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) purchased the 1.3 million-square-foot facility, located on 50 Rausch Creek Road in Tremont Township, in February 2026. The purchase is part of a nearly $200 million investment by DHS in Pennsylvania warehouses, raising questions about the federal government’s strategy for immigration enforcement within the state.

Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., has voiced “deep concern” regarding the ICE warehouses, outlining potential negative consequences for local communities. In a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Fetterman stated, “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.”

The petition highlights concerns echoed by Fetterman, specifically a perceived lack of vetting prior to the warehouse purchases and the resulting $1.6 million loss in tax revenue for Berks and Schuylkill counties. Petitioners also point to potential long-term risks associated with “detention-economy dependency,” citing examples from other communities where increased local costs, reduced oversight, and environmental hazards have been linked to the presence of large detention facilities.

The petition calls for a complete halt to the facility’s development, a transparent and community-centered review process, an independent assessment of the environmental and infrastructure impacts, and exploration of alternative uses for the property that would benefit the community rather than pose a threat.

Concerns are also surfacing in Berks County, with residents expressing similar anxieties about the potential impact of a separate, proposed 1,500-bed detention center in Upper Bern Township. Keith Phillips, a 66-year-old resident of Upper Bern Township, acknowledged local support for immigration enforcement but also voiced concerns about potential protests and disruptions in the rural community.

Fetterman’s letter further emphasizes the lack of communication from ICE regarding how the agency intends to address the significant demands the facilities would place on local infrastructure. He stated that it would be “wildly irresponsible” to impose such a burden on these communities without a clear plan.

As of this writing, the petition to stop the construction of the 7,500-bed facility has garnered approximately 450 signatures toward its goal of 500.