The Trump administration plans to use Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (MDL) in New Jersey to house immigrant detainees, a decision that has drawn criticism from several Democratic lawmakers in the state.
According to the Department of Defense, portions of Joint Base MDL will be converted into “temporary soft-sided holding facilities” to accommodate individuals in immigration custody. The announcement comes as part of a broader initiative that includes similar plans for Camp Atterbury in Indiana.
In a letter to Rep. Herb Conway of New Jersey, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the move “will not negatively affect military training, operational readiness, or other military requirements.”
Joint Base MDL spans more than 42,000 acres and supports operations for the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy. It previously housed thousands of Afghan refugees following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
New Jersey’s Democratic congressional delegation responded with a joint statement criticizing the decision as an inappropriate use of military resources for immigration enforcement. The lawmakers warned that the move could undermine military preparedness and expand federal immigration enforcement activity in local communities.
The statement was signed by Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, as well as Representatives Herb Conway, LaMonica McIver, Donald Norcross, Rob Menendez, Frank Pallone, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Josh Gottheimer, and Nellie Pou.
It remains unclear when the facility will begin operations. The Department of Defense has not yet provided a timeline for implementation.