The Trump administration has informed Democratic lawmakers that there is currently no timeline or approved plan for the establishment of a detention center for immigrants at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. This announcement follows earlier statements indicating that the base would be utilized to further the administration’s arrest-and-deportation agenda.
Democratic representatives, including Donald Norcross and Herb Conaway, who serve on the House Armed Services Committee, received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirming the absence of a construction plan. The base, which spans parts of Burlington and Ocean Counties, has the potential to accommodate between 1,000 and 3,000 detainees; however, specific details regarding the implementation of these plans remain unclear.
In their joint statement, Norcross and Conaway expressed concern over the administration’s approach to the treatment of undocumented immigrants. They emphasized their responsibility to uphold human rights standards, ensuring that any detention facility does not compromise military readiness. “The Trump Administration’s ongoing disregard for due process and humane treatment of undocumented immigrants has required us to press repeatedly for answers and fulfill our congressional oversight responsibilities,” they stated.
The lawmakers acknowledged the DHS’s response, but reiterated their commitment to monitoring the situation closely. The need for additional detention space, they argue, reflects the administration’s intent to reinforce the rule of law and discontinue previous policies, often referred to as “catch-and-release,” which they claim have endangered American communities.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration identified Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as one of only two sites in the United States certified to support the president’s initiative to remove millions of undocumented immigrants. The other facility designated for this purpose is Camp Atterbury in Indiana.
As the political landscape surrounding immigration policy continues to evolve, the lack of a defined timeline raises questions about the future of immigrant detention practices in military facilities. The administration’s commitment to its policies remains a focal point for many lawmakers, who are poised to advocate for humane treatment and oversight in any forthcoming developments.
