HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — Hanover County received a letter from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday confirming its intent to purchase and operate a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility in a warehouse located on Lakeridge Parkway, between Interstate 95 and Route 1.
"This is not a project initiated by the County," Hanover County posted on its website along with a link to the DHSletter.
The 43.49-acre property, built in 2024, would be rehabilitated to support ICE’s operations, according to the letter, which outlines a range of planned site modifications. Those could include upgrades to parking areas, fencing, site lighting, landscaping, drainage systems, recreation areas, and surveillance cameras. ICE also said it may install tentage and a guard shack.
"All work and construction staging will occur within the parcel boundary,” Gabrielle Fernandez, Environmental Protection Specialist with DHS, wrote “and no site improvements are expected to be taller than the existing structure or expand beyond the current site boundaries.”
Inside the facility, ICE plans potential renovations to create holding and processing spaces, office space, public areas, cafeterias, bathrooms, and health care rooms.
The letter also addressed historical and archaeological considerations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, noting a review of the property and surrounding area.
ICE determined that the site “will result in a finding of No Historic Properties Affected,” citing extensive past ground disturbance and the demolition of the formerly recorded La Madeline Farm structures on or adjacent to the site.
Hanover County said it was notified that it has 30 days to respond to the letter.
“Please provide any comments on the undertaking and ICE’s finding within 30 calendar days of the date of receipt of this letter,” Fernandez wrote.
County leaders said they planned to discuss potential next steps at their regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
ICE currently operates at Virginia detention facilities in Caroline County and Farmville.
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New Information: ICE eyes Hanover warehouse as immigration detention center
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