The Trump administration has quietly spent a massive $87.4 million to purchase a nearly 520,000-square-foot warehouse in Berks County, Pennsylvania, signaling plans to convert the facility into a huge immigration detention center, as reported by Spotlight PA. It looks like the government moved quickly on this purchase, which was recorded on February 2.
The huge warehouse, located at 3501 Mountain Road in Upper Bern Township, was sold to the U.S. government on behalf of the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, which is under a lot of public scrutiny currently. This building holds a lot of local history, and its conversion will be a jarring change for the community. It was most recently known as the Hamburg Logistics Center, but before that, it was the Mountain Springs Arena, a major county landmark where people went for rodeos and demolition derbies.
This facility is truly massive and could house up to 1,500 beds. This isn’t an isolated incident either; the Berks County location is just one of at least 23 facilities that the agency plans to convert across the United States. They even finalized the purchase of another warehouse nearby in Schuylkill County’s Tremont Township on Monday. That Tremont property is already stirring up fierce opposition from local residents, especially since it sits less than 300 yards from a daycare center.
Turning a spot known for fun, local events into a detention facility definitely kills a lot of local nostalgia
When pressed for details about the Berks County purchase, an agency spokesperson didn’t answer any specific questions. Instead, they focused on their mission to target “vicious criminals.” The spokesperson claimed, “Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities.”
Local leaders were clearly caught off guard by the massive federal acquisition. The solicitor for Upper Bern Township stated that community leaders only learned about the sale on Monday. They emphasized that the township was “not involved in this transfer and has not received any applications from either the prior or new owners regarding the future use of the property.”
The financial impact is also a huge concern for local officials. The property is currently assessed at $22 million, and the federal purchase means the host municipality, county, and school district stand to lose about $624,000 in annual tax revenue. Republican State Sen. Chris Gebhard and Rep. Jamie Barton are already reaching out to federal contacts for details.
State Sen. Judy Schwank, a Democrat representing the area, expressed significant worry about the purchase, noting that she found the then-potential sale “deeply concerning.” She’s worried about the agency’s track record nationwide, especially given reports of mistreatment at other facilities. “My concern is, knowing the track record of some of these other facilities located throughout the country, it’s not good,” she said. “I don’t necessarily want to see something like that being housed in our county.”
The impact on the local community, which is mostly white, is expected to be “disruptive” and “chilling” for immigrants in the area, according to attorney Bridget Cambria. She worries that if a giant detention center is in their backyard, residents will be “more afraid to do that,” potentially hindering people who are trying to legalize their status or stay with their family.
Published: Feb 3, 2026 11:30 am