Gov. Kathy Hochul is demanding that the Department of Homeland Security disclose whether it is building or expanding immigration detention facilities in Rochester, Batavia and Newburgh.
In a July 13 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Hochul asked for project locations, proposed capacity, legal authority and a meeting with federal officials, citing what she described as secrecy and a lack of coordination with state and local leaders.
Hochul said reports indicate detention cells may be planned inside a federal building in Rochester that also houses a day care center and federal court operations. She cited objections from the city's mayor, Monroe County officials, the federal court's chief judge and community members.
The governor also raised concerns about a possible expansion of the federal detention center in Batavia. Her letter referenced a Department of Homeland Security inspector general's findings about overcrowding and improper treatment at the facility.
In Newburgh, Hochul said federal officials reportedly signed a lease for a warehouse that could be converted into a detention site without consulting the state or local government.
The letter asks whether the department intends to build or expand each site and how any plans align with a commitment Hochul attributed to President Donald Trump that detention capacity would not be expanded in a state unless requested by its governor.
Hochul called for federal officials to provide timely information to affected communities. The letter does not establish that each reported project has received final approval or begun operating.
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