Hochul Demands Transparency on New York ICE Detention Plans
The governor says federal officials failed to inform communities about proposed or expanding immigration facilities in Rochester, Batavia and Newburgh.
Governor Kathy Hochul is demanding detailed answers about reported New York ICE detention plans, accusing the federal government of keeping state and local leaders in the dark while pursuing projects in three communities.
In a July 13 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Hochul asked whether the Department of Homeland Security is building or expanding immigration detention facilities in Rochester, Batavia and Newburgh. She also requested information about each facility’s planned capacity, legal authority and purpose.
The central issue is larger than immigration policy alone. Communities have a right to know when the federal government is planning a secure detention operation near homes, businesses, courts or childcare facilities.
“New Yorkers, like all Americans, deserve honest answers about what their federal government is doing in their communities,” Hochul wrote. “And I demand your department provide that transparency.” (Governor Kathy Hochul)
What Hochul Is Asking DHS to Explain
Hochul’s letter describes three separate projects that have become public through news reports, government documents and procurement records rather than direct communication from DHS.
The governor asked federal officials to disclose:
- Whether new immigration detention facilities are being constructed or planned
- Whether existing detention facilities are being expanded
- The location and proposed capacity of each operation
- The federal authority being used to approve the projects
- Whether local governments were consulted
- Whether the projects represent an expansion of ICE enforcement in New York
Hochul also requested a direct conversation with Mullin, who became secretary of Homeland Security in March 2026. (Department of Homeland Security)
Her letter argues that DHS officials have repeatedly promised coordination with local communities but have not followed through.
“You have repeatedly promised to coordinate with local communities,” Hochul wrote. “That’s not what’s happening.” (Governor Kathy Hochul)
Newburgh Warehouse Raises Questions and Protests
The Newburgh proposal has produced some of the strongest public reaction.
Federal contract records reportedly show that the government entered into a $35.5 million lease involving a warehouse at 800 Corporate Boulevard in the Town of Newburgh. Property specifications, including secure access for buses and detainee-transport vehicles, have led officials and news organizations to conclude that the site may be intended for ICE operations. (Times Union)
The federal government had not publicly provided full details about the warehouse’s intended use when local officials raised their objections.
Newburgh officials have discussed legal action, while residents and elected leaders have protested the possibility of an immigration detention center opening without meaningful public review.
The Town of Newburgh is located near Stewart International Airport and has a substantial immigrant population. That has intensified concerns about whether the warehouse could become a processing, transfer or detention site.
Hochul wrote that federal officials had not consulted the town, Orange County or New York State despite bipartisan criticism of the project. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
Batavia Facility Could Be Expanded
The governor also pointed to planned construction at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia.
ICE has said it is expanding the facility as New York prepares to restrict the use of local jails for federal civil immigration detention. The existing detention center has approximately 650 beds, according to reporting by New York Focus. (New York Focus)
Conditions inside the Batavia center have already drawn federal scrutiny.
A 2025 unannounced inspection by the DHS Office of Inspector General found several problems, including incidents in which detention officers used force inappropriately. The report also identified other failures involving facility practices and treatment of detainees. (Office of Inspector General)
Those findings do not establish that every detainee has been mistreated. However, they strengthen the argument for independent oversight before the federal government increases the facility’s population.
Hochul described the Batavia facility as overcrowded and criticized DHS for moving ahead with additional capacity without adequate transparency.
Rochester Plan Involves a Federal Building
In Rochester, Hochul said DHS is seeking to install immigration detention cells inside a federal building that also contains a federal court and a childcare operation.
According to the governor, the proposal is opposed by Rochester officials, Monroe County, community members and the court’s chief judge. (Governor Kathy Hochul)
The placement of detention cells within a building used by families, court employees and members of the public creates practical questions about security, emergency procedures and access.
It also raises a basic question: Were the people responsible for operating the building fully consulted before the plan moved forward?
The governor’s letter does not provide the number of proposed cells or how long individuals would be held there. Those are among the facts DHS should publicly clarify.
A Larger Conflict Over Immigration Enforcement
The dispute comes during a broader confrontation between New York leaders and the Trump administration over immigration enforcement.
Earlier in 2026, Hochul backed legislation limiting state and local involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement. The measures were designed to prevent local police and government resources from being used for duties that supporters say belong to federal agencies. (Reuters)
Hochul has maintained that New York law enforcement agencies should continue cooperating with federal authorities when a person is accused of a crime and a warrant or court order has been issued.
“My long standing policy has always been that we will cooperate with law enforcement when crimes have been committed and there is a warrant for arrest or a court order,” Hochul wrote. “But this unbridled aggression against law-abiding New Yorkers must stop.” (Governor Kathy Hochul)
Federal officials and supporters of stronger ICE cooperation offer a different argument. DHS has said that limiting cooperation between local police and immigration authorities can make enforcement more difficult and require a larger federal presence. Critics of New York’s restrictions argue that closer cooperation helps authorities identify and remove dangerous offenders. (AP News)
That public-safety argument deserves to be heard. But it does not eliminate the need for disclosure, lawful procedures and consultation with local governments.
Enforcing federal law and informing communities are not competing responsibilities. Government can—and should—do both.
Why Transparency Matters
Immigration detention centers are not ordinary office developments.
They can affect:
- Local emergency and police services
- Traffic and transportation patterns
- Court operations
- Access to legal representation
- Public utilities and infrastructure
- Nearby homes, schools and childcare facilities
- Community trust in government
Local leaders may not have the authority to block every federal project. Still, they need reliable information to prepare for its effects.
Secrecy can also fuel misinformation. When agencies refuse to explain what they are doing, rumors can spread faster than facts. Clear communication protects both public safety and public confidence.
DHS has recently stepped back from or reconsidered some warehouse-based detention projects in other states following legal, infrastructure and financial concerns. The Associated Press reported that several planned facilities were canceled or modified after community opposition and questions about whether the properties were suitable for large detention populations. (AP News)
That history makes early public review even more important in New York.
What Has and Has Not Been Verified
The following information is supported by official statements, federal records or multiple news reports:
- Hochul sent the letter to Secretary Mullin on July 13, 2026.
- The letter identifies projects or potential projects in Rochester, Batavia and Newburgh.
- Federal records show a multimillion-dollar warehouse lease in Newburgh.
- ICE has acknowledged expansion activity at the Batavia facility.
- A DHS inspector general report identified problems involving the use of force at Batavia.
DHS had not issued a detailed public response addressing all of Hochul’s questions in the sources reviewed for this article.
The precise capacity, opening dates and final uses of the Rochester and Newburgh locations could not be independently verified. Those details should not be treated as settled until DHS releases official plans.
Read Letter Here
New Yorkers Deserve Direct Answers
The federal government has broad authority to enforce immigration law. But authority does not excuse secrecy.
Residents should not have to discover major detention projects through property records, construction documents or investigative reporting. Local governments should not be the last to learn about facilities that could reshape public services and community life.
Hochul’s letter asks questions that DHS should be able to answer clearly: What is being built, where will it operate, how many people will be held and who approved it?
This debate will continue to divide New Yorkers on immigration policy. But transparency should not be a partisan demand. It is a basic requirement of accountable government.
DHS should release the plans, explain the legal authority behind them and meet directly with affected communities before construction or detention operations move forward.
Sources
- Office of Governor Kathy Hochul, July 13, 2026
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- DHS Office of Inspector General
- Associated Press
- Reuters
- Times Union
- Spectrum News
- New York Focus
