The Burlington County Commissioners have expressed their concerns over federal plans to use Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as an immigration detention site. In a statement, the commissioners emphasized the county’s commitment to being a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds and stressed the importance of applying the rule of law evenly.
The commissioners voiced worries about what they described as “overaggressive enforcement actions” by federal agencies such as Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They highlighted instances where U.S. citizens, legal visa holders, and military veterans have been unjustly detained.
Citing the recent case of George Retes, an Army veteran detained for three days despite his citizenship status, the commissioners warned that such enforcement actions could undermine citizens’ rights and community safety. They stated that these practices could instill fear and division rather than strengthen the nation.
“Instead of making our country stronger, they cause fear and division, and that has no place in our federal military installations or in Burlington County,” said the commissioners.
