Roxbury Republicans erupt over new ICE detention center, pressure Kean

🔴 The all-GOP Roxbury council opposes an ICE detention center in their town.

🔴 Local leaders warn of $85M tax revenue loss over 30 years, escalating pressure.

🔴 New federal bill aims at reimbursing towns for costs tied to ICE detention facilities.

ROXBURY — Intense local Republican pushback against a new ICE detention center in this New Jersey town has forced the hand of their local congressman.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has officially closed on a property in Roxbury, Mayor Tom Carey and the all-GOP township council said on Saturday. The announcement came after the Washington Post reported ICE wanted to build a 1,500-bed detention center at the site.

ICE detention center in Roxbury infuriates local leaders

Roxbury's elected officials unanimously oppose the coming ICE facility. But the opposition isn't ideological — they say the land isn't zoned for a detention center, and such a densely packed building would strain local water, sewer, and public safety systems.

They also raised concerns that the facility would cost the township significant tax revenues: $1.8 million a year for an estimated $85 million loss over the next 30 years.

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Carey and the council officials called out, by name, U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J. 7th District. While Kean said his office worked closely with officials in Roxbury and engaged with Homeland Security on the township's behalf, the local Republicans said Kean hadn't done enough to defend Roxbury.

"Despite repeated outreach, our federal representative, Congressman Tom Kean Jr., did not engage to the level we had hoped to provide the advocacy our residents deserved," township officials said.

Local Taxpayer Protection Act of 2026 aims to offset ICE facility costs

Amid the local pressure, Kean has introduced a bill to help offset the facility's cost. The Republican calls it the Local Taxpayer Protection Act of 2026.

If the bill makes it through Congress and Trump signs it into law, the bill would create a federal grant program. The program would be handled by Homeland Security, which Roxbury officials have said ignored their questions and concerns.

Municipalities could apply for grants to cover the costs they bear for federal law enforcement processing or detention facilities. Other covered expenses would include lost property taxes, increased demand on public utilities, and infrastructure upgrades.

"Local taxpayers cannot be expected to foot the bill for federal facilities, and towns like Roxbury should not have to absorb the costs," Kean said.

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