ICE buys Chester warehouse for use as immigrant detention facility
| 13 Feb 2026 | 03:27
The former Pep Boys warehouse at 29 Elizabeth Drive in Chester Industrial Park. Photo: Sammie Finch
Immigration and Customs Enforcement purchased the warehouse at 29 Elizabeth Drive in the Village of Chester for the purpose of housing immigration detainees, the federal law enforcement agency confirmed Friday.
“ICE purchased a facility in Chester, New York,” a spokesperson for ICE said in a statement.
According to the ICE spokesperson, “These will be very well-structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards. Sites will undergo community impact studies and a rigorous due diligence process to make sure there is no hardship on local utilities or infrastructure prior to purchase. The Chester facility and its construction are expected to bring more than 1,246 jobs to the area and would contribute $153.4 million to GDP. It’s also projected to bring in more than $37.2 million in tax revenue.”
The ICE spokesperson said “ICE is targeting criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members and more.”
It is not known how much ICE paid for the facility. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.