By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-08-07 19:01:51 | Updated at 2026-08-07 20:24:19
1 hour ago
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y.—The Orange County Legislature voted on Aug. 6 to oppose a yet-to-be-confirmed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility near Stewart International Airport.
The 21-person legislature voted with 14 ayes to urge the federal government to halt any planned ICE detention facility or processing centers at 800 Corporate Boulevard in the Town of Newburgh, or anywhere else in Orange County.
The 60,143-square-foot warehouse is located adjacent to several other warehouses and businesses, and across Route 17K from the Stewart International Airport.
Orange County residents also voiced their opposition and support for an ICE facility during the legislative session, with some saying preventing the facility would save Orange County lives and others saying it’s impeding federal operations.
The federal government leased the warehouse at 800 Corporate Boulevard without a specific purpose. Requirements the government has for the space include “a dedicated sally port/garage ... for secure access into the building for deliveries by Government vehicles, including detainee buses and vans.”
Federal documents specify that the building must have a well-laid-out office space, a location in a commercial office district, and a location that is not near educational facilities, religious facilities, or retail centers.
Multiple local politicians believe that the facility may be used as an ICE detention facility due to the specific requirements. There have been protests in the city against ICE’s use of the warehouse, bringing in hundreds of people and leaders to show opposition to the federal government’s actions.
The legislature has a precedent of opposing ICE facilities in the county. A similar resolution was passed on Feb. 5 in response to a proposed ICE detainee processing facility in a village of Chester warehouse. The facility was later announced to not be moving forward.
The federal agencies have not communicated with municipalities on either warehouses, the resolution says. It also says that the Newburgh warehouse is near a heavily populated business district and residential neighborhood, and that the facility would negatively affect the economy and community.
Public speakers from the community voiced their disapproval for the facility, citing humanitarian concerns, strain on local utilities, and pressure on immigrant communities.
Some urged the county government to take action beyond the resolution.
Port Jervis resident Ethan Weber said, “We are asking you to actively work to protect Orange County by frustrating their plans within the legal authority that you do have. … You can cut off the county resources, not the municipal resources, needed to build this nightmare.”
Village of Chester Resident Brian Ewens criticized the county for adopting sanctuary county policies but not officially being a sanctuary state. This includes opposing the establishment of an ICE facility and not opposing moving illegal immigrants into hotels in 2023, while also claiming to be a non-sanctuary county and housing ICE detainees in county jails.
Ewens said, “The people of Orange County deserve honest leadership, either fully partner with ICE, including supporting the facilities in the capacity the federal government needs, or drop the claim that this is not a sanctuary county.”
The legislators echoed many of the anti-facility points brought up by local speakers.
Democratic legislator for Palm Tree and Monroe, Matthew Turnbull, said, “Nobody opposes deporting undocumented criminals after they receive the due process. This is not about that. … I vehemently oppose ICE operating in Orange County.”
Republican legislator for Monroe and Tuxedo, Peter Tuohy, spoke in support of ICE but against the facility.
“I visited the proposed processing site in Newburgh. I felt that the accessibility in and out of the facility was inadequate, along with additional infrastructure issues. ... I do support the efforts of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies across the state and nation, due to the fact that millions upon millions upon millions of non-citizen foreigners crossed the U.S. borders completely unchecked and unvetted over a four-year period.”
