U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is reportedly considering Fort Wadsworth, a historic site on Staten Island, as a potential location for detaining immigrants. This move has raised significant concerns among local officials and community leaders. According to the New York Times, ICE officials visited the former military installation last week to evaluate its suitability for use as a temporary detention facility for immigrants apprehended by the agency.
Local Officials Express Concerns
The future of Fort Wadsworth as a possible detention site remains uncertain. Local leaders, including Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, have voiced strong opposition to the plan. Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, highlighted the site’s strategic significance for U.S. Coast Guard operations and its historical value. “The site is not suitable to house migrants,” she stated. “We’ve made this very clear, both publicly and privately, and we do not anticipate any such plans.”
While ICE has not confirmed whether it will move forward with its proposal, the potential use of Fort Wadsworth has prompted widespread discussions. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, declined to comment on the matter when approached by the New York Times.
Background and Current Detention Practices
Currently, immigrants arrested by ICE in New York City are processed at the agency’s office in Lower Manhattan. After processing, they are typically transported to jails and detention centers in New Jersey, upstate New York, or Pennsylvania. Notably, there are no long-term ICE-run detention centers located within the city limits.
Fort Wadsworth, encompassing 226 acres, is presently home to U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Park Police facilities. In 2023, Malliotakis had already expressed her opposition to using Fort Wadsworth to shelter migrants when the Biden administration and local officials explored options for emergency shelters for an influx of migrants arriving in New York City.
ICE has been actively expanding its detention capacity in the New York region this year. This includes arrangements to detain over 100 individuals at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, as well as up to 50 detainees for short periods at Nassau County Jail on Long Island. Additionally, a facility with 1,000 beds is being utilized across the Hudson River in Newark, New Jersey. The agency has established contracts with several county jails in upstate New York to accommodate the growing number of detainees.
New York City has not operated a significant immigration detention center since 2010, when ICE closed the Varick Street Detention Facility, which had the capacity to hold as many as 250 immigrants.
As the discussions regarding Fort Wadsworth continue, local officials are determined to advocate for the historical site and its current uses, emphasizing the importance of its role in national security and community integrity.
