Overview

In February 2026, ICE paid approximately $87 million for a warehouse in Upper Bern Township, Pennsylvania (near Hamburg), as part of the Detention Reengineering Initiative. The facility is designated as a regional processing center.

Key Details

• Purchase price: ~$87 million
• Purchase date: February 2026
• Facility type: Regional processing center (one of 16)
• Target completion: FY2026

Legal Questions

The purchase has raised significant questions about whether local officials have the authority to block or regulate federal detention facilities. Analysis from The Conversation explored the legal frameworks at play, noting that local zoning and land-use authority faces uncertain ground against federal sovereign immunity claims.

Note: Tremont PA Mega-Center

Pennsylvania hosts a second, larger facility: a warehouse in Tremont, PA (central Pennsylvania), designated as one of the eight large-scale “mega-centers” capable of holding 7,500-10,000 detainees. This is a separate entry.

Sources

• ICE buys $87M warehouse in Pennsylvania — can local officials block a detention facility? — The Conversation
• ICE’s Warehouse Purchases Herald New Model — American Immigration Council
• How ICE’s Budget Boom Is Changing Immigration Detention — Brennan Center