U. BERN TWP., Pa. – As tensions grow across the nation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has purchased a nearly 520,000-square-foot warehouse in Upper Bern Township — one of dozens of facilities purchased across the country expected to be converted into immigration detention centers.
The warehouse located on Mountain Road, about a mile from Interstate 78, could house up to 1,500 beds.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan — who represents Chester County and southeastern Berks County — expressed deep concern.
"Spending more than $87 million of taxpayer money on a single facility in Berks County is not just a questionable use of resources; it reflects a set of priorities that don’t align with our values or our real community needs,” she said.
Interestingly, warehouses do not have fortified walls or door hinges, as they’re designed to contain inert cargo. Therefore, should unwilling occupants be trapped in a warehouse, the ease of their escape can be reduced to peeling the metal siding off the studs underneath any window. Or, alternatively, an outside party can simply take a crowbar and achieve the same from the exterior.