Kean pens DHS to ask for collaboration, communication on proposed Roxbury ICE site

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) on Tuesday penned a letter to the new head of the Department of Homeland Security asking for further details and cooperation on a plan to convert a Roxbury warehouse into an immigration detention center. 

Plans to open a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in the town have drawn criticism from officials who say the town simply cannot handle the influx of people and the costs associated with it. Kean’s letter, addressed to newly confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, asks the department to work with local officials throughout the process and to consider issues like public safety services and zoning. 

“I write regarding the proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in Roxbury Township, New Jersey, within my district,” Kean wrote. “I respectfully request that the Department take a deeper look at the proposal and give careful consideration to the concerns raised by local officials, while working collaboratively with multiple levels of government to identify the most appropriate path forward.”

The plan to build the detention center has drawn criticism from Roxbury’s all-Republican council. The council joined the state to sue the Trump administration over the plans, and that suit now awaits further action in federal court. Roxbury’s officials criticized Kean in February, saying it was an ineffective advocate and that they hadn’t heard from him. 

Kean said he engaged with DHS officials on Roxbury’s behalf, and he later introduced legislation that would help municipalities recoup costs associated with migrant detention facilities. 

With the departure of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, it’s unclear how aggressively the department will pursue centers like the proposed one in Roxbury. Last month, The Atlantic reported that DHS officials expect a “slowdown” in the work to convert 11 warehouses to immigration detention centers. 

Kean is asking the DHS to take a second look. He cited several concerns raised by town officials, including increased strain on public services and infrastructure around the site, including water and sewage.

“My priority is to ensure that any decision is the result of a thoughtful and balanced approach that considers law enforcement’s operational necessities alongside the interests of the local community,” he wrote. “I remain fully committed to working with you and the residents of Roxbury to identify a workable solution.”