Temporary Use of Joint Bases for Detaining Undocumented Immigrants
According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, which is a joint base located in Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and New Jersey, will be temporarily utilized for the detention of undocumented immigrants.
In a letter dated June 15 to Rep. Herb Conway (D-N.J.) and the House Armed Services Committee, Hegseth confirmed that these locations would be used by the Department of Homeland Security to house undocumented immigrants.
The announcement garnered significant attention, especially from Democrats, who openly criticized the decision.
Hegseth clarified in the letter that military operations at the base would remain unaffected by this initiative.
He stated, “The secretary approved the Department of Homeland Security’s request for assistance in using property at joint bases in Camp Atterbury, Indiana and McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, and established a temporary softside holding facility.”
However, the letter did not specify the number of migrants expected to be detained there or the timeline for when the camp will open.
“The timelines for these facilities depend on coordination between operational requirements and the DHS,” the Department of Defense noted.
The term “Softside Holding Facilities” suggests that these camps will resemble a detention facility created during the Trump administration in the Florida Everglades, featuring tent-like structures surrounded by fencing.
On the same day, DHS Executive Director Christy Noem indicated that this type of facility could serve as a model for future operations.
Governors from South Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas expressed willingness to host similar temporary facilities in their states.
Andrew Mahalleris, a spokesperson for Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R), mentioned, “Texas will continue to support the Trump administration in arresting, detaining and deporting illegal immigrants.”
Camp Atterbury is about 40 miles from Indianapolis and spans over 34,000 acres, while the joint base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is situated near Trenton, New Jersey, covering 42,000 acres.
Indiana Rep. Andre Carson (D) has voiced concerns regarding the use of Camp Atterbury, referencing troubling conditions at other ICE detention facilities across the nation. He expressed alarm over the rising number of detainee deaths since President Trump’s term began.
A group of New Jersey Democrats also condemned the Department of Defense’s plans, stating, “This is an inappropriate use of our defense system, militarizing radical immigration policies that have led to the inhumane treatment of undocumented immigrants and the wrongful deportation of U.S. citizens, including children.”
This move by the administration is part of ongoing extensive efforts to manage immigration. Recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced it would gain access to Medicaid data for 79 million individuals, including their addresses and birth dates, to locate undocumented immigrants.
