by Dick Hall-Sizemore

The Trump administration has to know it is in trouble when Hanover County opposes the establishment of an immigrant processing center within its boundaries.

Hanover is the most reliably Republican jurisdiction in the Richmond area and one of the most reliable in the state. In each of the last three Presidential elections, Trump won about 62 percent of the votes in the county. Yet, Wednesday night, the Hanover County Board of Supervisors told the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) that it did not want a gigantic ICE “processing” center in its jurisdiction.

On January 22, DHS notified Hanover County that it was proposing to purchase a large warehouse in the county “in support of operations.” The federal agency informed the county that, based on its research, in accordance with federal regulations, it had determined that no historic properties would be affected. It invited the county to provide any comments on the undertaking within 30 days. The title line on the letter referred to the “ICE Washington DC Processing Center.”

The property in question is a 43.49-acre parcel on which a 550,000 sq.ft warehouse is situated. The warehouse was constructed in 2024. It is located in an area zoned for light industrial use and close to an interchange with I-95. Richmond International Airport, which has become a major hub for deportation flights, is about 20 miles away.

The property is owned by Jim Pattison Developments, a Vancouver company.

The news of DHS’s intentions to purchase the warehouse drew protests from several groups and hundreds showed up at Wednesday night’s board meeting to demonstrate their opposition.

At its meeting, the Board of Supervisors released a statement opposing the purchase by DHS. In the statement, the board went to great lengths to assure Hanover citizens that it had no role in the DHS proposal to purchase the warehouse and did not even know about it until a few days ago. “The Board needs to make clear that Hanover County was not part of the selection process, nor was Hanover County consulted prior to our receipt of this notice.” 

The board was careful to couch its opposition in terms of the impact the facility would have on surrounding properties and county resources, as well as its incompatibility with the county’s land use policies. The warehouse is in “a well-planned area established to encourage commercial and industrial uses. It is located near retail businesses, hotels and restaurants, as well as several residential areas…. A facility of this nature will change the character of the area, place unplanned demands on County services, including public safety, as well as reduced County tax revenues by no less than one million dollars annually. However, future revenue losses are likely to be significantly higher.” This last sentence likely refers to anticipated decreases in nearby property values due to the existence of a federal immigration detention center in the area.

The statement summarizes the board’s position in those terms. “Simply put, a DHS facility at this property on Lakeridge Parkway is not consistent with the established land use for this business, residential, and commerce area. The Board opposes the purchase of this property by DHS because of these well-panned current land uses.”

While acknowledging Hanover’s inability to stop the purchase, the board expresses the hope that DHS will honor its opposition and go elsewhere. “[W]hile the federal government is generally exempt from our zoning regulations, and the Board is limited in being able to prevent federal facilities from operating, if in fact the federal government chooses to do so, it is our expectation that DHS, after receiving the County’s comments, reconsiders its decision to purchase this property.” In summary, “The Board hopes that DHS will not proceed with this acquisition and sincerely hope they will look for a more suitable location for this type of operation.”