ROXBURY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — New Jersey officials and Roxbury Township have asked a federal court to block plans to convert a vacant warehouse into an immigration detention facility, citing concerns about environmental impact and local infrastructure.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced that the state and township have filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The request asks the U.S. District Court to halt any construction or development at the site while a lawsuit challenging the project proceeds.
Officials said emergency relief is needed because federal agencies have indicated construction activity could begin as early as late May.
The proposed facility would house up to 1,500 detainees and employ about 1,000 staff members at a warehouse along Route 46. The lawsuit alleges the project was advanced without required consultation with state and local officials and without fully evaluating environmental and infrastructure impacts.
“The Trump Administration has ignored State and local officials in pushing its ill-conceived plan forward because it knows the local impacts are indefensible, and this facility will not make the community safer,” said Governor Sherrill. “We are standing up for New Jerseyans in a bipartisan manner to ensure their drinking water, public safety, and pocketbooks are protected.”
“We need swift relief to ensure we can enforce the law and protect New Jerseyans. DHS cannot transform local neighborhoods into detention outposts without considering the impacts on local resources and consulting with the State and local governments,” said Attorney General Davenport. “The court needs to step in before the damage is done, not after a lengthy case renders it too late.”
The lawsuit, filed March 20, seeks relief under several federal laws, including the Administrative Procedure Act, National Environmental Policy Act and Immigration and Nationality Act.
According to the complaint, the warehouse currently lacks sufficient infrastructure, including water and sewage capacity, to support the proposed use. Officials also cited potential impacts on nearby waterways, including Lake Musconetcong and Lake Hopatcong, as well as concerns about increased traffic near the Interstate 80 interchange.
