ICE Battles Pennsylvania to Keep Water and Sewage Access for Gigantic New Detention Centers

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is doubling down on plans to open two enormous detention centers in rural Pennsylvania despite state orders that have effectively cut off their access to water and sewage systems. The agency filed an appeal this week against the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) restrictions, which prevent even basic water usage for security personnel at the sites.

The planned facilities are staggering in scale: a 7,500-person center in Tremont Township, Schuylkill County—population 300—and a 1,500-person center in Upper Bern Township, Berks County. Both sites are repurposed warehouses purchased by the federal government as part of a nationwide spree to expand detention capacity.

According to the county Municipal Authority, the Tremont facility alone would more than triple the number of people connected to the local sewage system, which is already strained. Water demand would surge in an area struggling with supply. The DEP refused ICE’s request to connect to water and sewage without detailed infrastructure plans, citing concerns over safety and environmental impact.

ICE’s attorney Daniel Wilmouth dismissed the DEP’s orders as “unreasonably interfere[ing]” with federal law enforcement duties and accused Pennsylvania officials of “antipathy” toward ICE. Governor Josh Shapiro has vowed to use “every tool at [his] disposal” to block the centers, reflecting widespread local resistance.

Beyond infrastructure, the economic fallout is severe. Both properties stopped generating tax revenue after federal acquisition in January. The Upper Bern site’s loss amounts to about $800,000 annually for the county, township, and school district combined. Tremont Township faces nearly $1 million in lost revenue, including half its budget and over half a million dollars for the Pine Grove Area School District, which already runs a $1.3 million deficit.

Local officials have pushed ICE to offer a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), but details remain vague and limited to just three years. County Commissioner Larry Padora is also demanding a memorandum of understanding to cover infrastructure expansion, maintenance costs, and transparency measures like tours for local officials and first responders.

Community members are outraged. At a recent commissioners’ meeting, Tremont resident Sarah Monger called the detention centers “another vile stain on the United States conscience.” Even supporters of stricter immigration enforcement acknowledge that the rural communities lack the capacity to handle the centers’ demands on roads, hospitals, and emergency services.

Law enforcement coverage by Pennsylvania State Police and local health providers remains uncertain, with agencies slow to respond to inquiries about coordination with ICE.

ICE’s push to proceed despite state orders highlights the agency’s disregard for local impacts and environmental regulations. As the federal government expands a for-profit detention system, rural communities bear the brunt of overwhelmed infrastructure, lost tax revenue, and heightened public safety risks. The fight over these Pennsylvania detention centers is far from over—and it’s a stark example of how ICE’s detention expansion bulldozes over local voices and needs.