(The Center Square) – County officials in Virginia say they are reviewing a notice from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security outlining plans to purchase and operate a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility in a warehouse on Lakeridge Parkway.
Hanover County officials said the project was not their initiation. The county has a 30-day window to respond to the federal notice with comments.
According to a statement posted by Hanover County government, the Board of Supervisors has not yet convened to discuss the notice. County officials said the board will consider the information and any potential next steps at its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday with a follow-up statement to be issued afterward.
TCS was told Friday by a county representative that Hanover will provide its next statement on the matter following the meeting.
The proposed site, at 11525 Lakeridge Parkway, is an existing warehouse constructed in 2024. County property records show the building spans approximately 552,576 square feet, making it comparable in size to a large regional distribution or logistics facility.
In a letter dated Wednesday, Homeland Security notified Hanover County that ICE intends to purchase, occupy and rehabilitate the warehouse in support of federal processing operations. The letter was issued to initiate consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and states that the undertaking would not expand beyond the existing structure or extend outside the parcel boundaries.
According to the notice, proposed upgrades could include interior modifications to support holding and processing space, office areas, public-facing visitor space, and health care areas, along with exterior improvements such as security features, lighting, fencing, and site infrastructure. Homeland Security stated that all construction and staging would occur within the existing site and that no historic properties would be affected by the project.
The notice quickly drew public reaction online, with residents weighing in on what the proposed facility could mean for Hanover County. Some commenters expressed support for increased enforcement of federal immigration law, while others raised concerns about community impact and the county’s role in the process. Several residents also questioned whether the proposal would require county approval or alter existing relationships between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
If approved, the Hanover facility would add to ICE’s existing detention and processing footprint in Virginia. ICE already operates detention facilities in Farmville and Bowling Green, which house individuals in federal immigration custody as their cases move through the legal system.
The proposed Hanover site comes shortly after Gov. Abigail Spanberger rescinded former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 47, which had directed certain state agencies to enter into cooperation agreements with ICE.
At the federal level, immigration enforcement officials have said operations are continuing nationwide regardless of changes in state policy.
Tom Homan, designated by the Trump administration as the White House’s border czar, said this week that federal immigration enforcement efforts are moving forward independently of state cooperation. He said federal officials remain open to working with state and local governments.
TCS was unsuccessful prior to publication of getting comment from Homeland Security and ICE on facility operations, timelines, or staffing.
