NJ, Roxbury sue Trump administration to halt new ICE facility

WHY IT MATTERS

New Jersey and the township of Roxbury have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s plan to convert a 470,000-square-foot warehouse into a large-scale immigration detention center. The facility, located off Route 46 in Morris County, could house as many as 1,500 migrants and open as early as June 2026. The legal challenge raises questions about federal authority over immigration detention infrastructure, environmental compliance, and local land use—issues with significant implications for New Jersey communities and the broader federal immigration enforcement strategy.

WHAT HAPPENED

On Friday, March 20, 2026, New Jersey Attorney General officials and Roxbury township representatives filed a 67-page complaint in federal court against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The lawsuit alleges that federal officials violated four federal statutes in purchasing and preparing the warehouse for conversion without conducting required environmental reviews or consulting local authorities.

The federal government purchased the warehouse for $129 million in February 2026—an amount New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill characterized as twice the property’s assessed value. According to the filing, Homeland Security officials began soliciting construction bids immediately after the purchase, with plans to execute a renovation contract by the end of March. The federal government aims to complete all construction within 90 days, allowing the facility to begin operations in June.

The lawsuit identifies specific structural inadequacies at the facility. The warehouse, approximately the size of eight football fields, currently contains only four toilets, one urinal, and five wash basins—infrastructure that the complaint argues is fundamentally incompatible with housing 1,000 to 1,500 detainees simultaneously. Governor Sherrill stated at a Newark press conference that the federal government’s approach violated the rights of New Jersey residents and undermined community safety.

The legal action represents the latest in a series of confrontations between Governor Sherrill’s administration and federal immigration enforcement. In January, Sherrill signed an executive order restricting ICE agents’ access to certain state property. That directive prompted a separate lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice challenging the order’s legality.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 470,000 square feet: Size of the Roxbury warehouse slated for conversion
• 1,500: Maximum capacity of detained migrants under the proposed plan
• $129 million: Purchase price of the warehouse, according to the filing
• 90 days: Timeline for completing renovation work following contract execution
• 4 toilets, 1 urinal, 5 wash basins: Current plumbing fixtures in the facility

ZOOM OUT

The New Jersey lawsuit reflects broader tensions between Democratic-led states and the Trump administration over immigration detention and enforcement. Multiple states have implemented similar legal challenges and executive actions designed to limit federal immigration authorities’ access to state facilities and resources.

The facility’s proposed scale distinguishes it from existing detention infrastructure. Most immigration processing centers operate at significantly smaller capacities, and the conversion of a logistics warehouse into a detention facility of this magnitude represents an unusual approach to federal immigration infrastructure development. The lawsuit’s emphasis on environmental review requirements aligns with challenges filed in other states where federal agencies have accelerated infrastructure projects without completing standard environmental assessments.

The involvement of Roxbury’s Republican leadership in opposing the facility demonstrates that local resistance to the project extends beyond partisan lines. Township officials joined state-level Democratic leadership in arguing that the location and facility design render it unsuitable for the intended purpose.

WHAT’S NEXT

The federal court will review the lawsuit’s allegations regarding violations of environmental statutes and procedural requirements. The complaint seeks an injunction to halt the facility’s development pending completion of required environmental reviews and local consultation processes.

If the court does not grant an immediate injunction, federal officials plan to execute the renovation contract by March 31, 2026. Construction could begin shortly thereafter, with a June opening date contingent on completing all modifications within the 90-day timeline.

Governor Sherrill has indicated her administration will pursue all available legal remedies to block the facility. The outcome of this case could establish precedent regarding federal authority to rapidly develop immigration detention infrastructure without state and local input. Additional legal challenges from community groups and civil rights organizations are possible as the case progresses through the federal court system.

Related coverage: New Jersey’s restrictions on ICE access face federal legal challenge | States escalate legal battles over immigration enforcement

Source: New Jersey Monitor