UPPER BERN TOWNSHIP, PA — The warehouse purchased by the Department of Homeland Security for use as a detention center by ICE in nearby Berks County will be sold, according to a New York Times report.
The Hamburg location, an $87.4 million facility designated for potential use as a detention center, is among seven facilities nationwide that will be sold.
Another of the seven is in nearby Tremont in Schuylkill County.
The $700 million investment was made under the previous Homeland Security administration headed by Kristi Noem. New DHS secretary Markwayne Mullin has advocated a "quieter" approach to immigrant raids and detention.
In Pennsylvania, the facilities also faced intense opposition from local residents and pressure from state lawmakers.
It's not yet clear what will come of the local warehouses.
The Berks County warehouse, about 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia, was previously the site of a privately owned logistics center before the government bought it.
ICE currently has six facilities in the state it uses for detention, including other dedicated locations in Philadelphia and Clearfield County, as well as shared use of correctional facilities in Pike and Clinton counties.
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