NJ officials: Hunterdon facility could be used for migrants

☑️ Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital was closed in 2012

☑️ The site was mentioned as a potential site for migrants

☑️ Hunterdon County officials say it is not suitable

Opposition is growing from Hunterdon County politicians to a possible plan to bring migrants to the closed Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital.

Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners Director Jeff Kuhl first brought attention to a plan to process migrants at the facility in Glen Gardner during Tuesday's commissioners meeting and in a subsequent media release. He did not disclose the source of the information or when the plan would begin at the hospital that was closed in 2012.

Questions about the plan were referred by Gov. Phil Murphy's office to State Police and the Office of Emergency Management.

State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan told New Jersey 101.5 on Friday that the facility was identified in the past as a potential housing site should the need arise to shelter a mass group of individuals, not limited to migrants, but also including weather-related events or large-scale emergencies.

"We don’t anticipate the need to use this facility at this time given the low number of migrants that have settled in New Jersey over the past few weeks. Nearly all of these individuals who have arrived in New Jersey have continued in transit to New York City," Marchan said.

Rejected in the past

The assemblymen said that in 2014 the facility was found to be an unfeasible location to house people during an Ebola outbreak.

"If you have seen the facility, you would quickly find it is not fit for use," DiMaio and Peterson wrote.

U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J. 7th District, Friday called the plan "completely unacceptable." He blamed President Joe Biden's border policy for creating a nationwide problem.

"We cannot ignore the consequences of allowing millions of unvetted illegal migrants to enter our country. It's crucial that every level of government prioritizes the safety and well-being of our communities while also addressing the root causes of this issue," Kean said in a statement.

The immigrants who were bused earlier this month to New York City as part of the Texas governor's campaign highlighting a border crisis stopped at NJ Transit stations in Edison, Fanwood, Secaucus and Trenton where they were supposed to continue their trip into New York City by train. Murphy said that some were met by relatives and remained in New Jersey.

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