Report: ICE retracts statement about warehouse purchase
Chester. A spokesperson said ICE did not purchase a warehouse, and that the statement made last week “was sent without proper approval,” according to reporting from Times Union.
| 17 Feb 2026 | 11:32
ICE retracted a statement made last week that it purchased the former Pep Boys Warehouse, according to reporting from Times Union. Photo by Sammie Finch.
According to a Tuesday evening report from Times Union, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has not purchased the warehouse at 29 Elizabeth Drive in the Village of Chester, despite sending out a statement on Friday that it had.
According to the Times Union:
“ICE has not purchased a facility in Chester, New York,” a spokesperson wrote in an email Tuesday evening. “That statement was sent without proper approval and this mistake has since been rectified.”
On Friday, an ICE spokesperson sent news outlets a multi-paragraph statement stating the federal law enforcement agency had purchased the property. It read, in part:
“ICE purchased a facility in Chester, N.Y. These will be very well-structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards. Sites will undergo community impact studies and a rigorous due diligence process to make sure there is no hardship on local utilities or infrastructure prior to purchase. The Chester facility and its construction are expected to bring more than 1,246 jobs to the area and would contribute $153.4 million to GDP. It’s also projected to bring in more than $37.2 million in tax revenue.”
Earlier Tuesday, prior to the Times Union report, Straus News requested clarification from ICE regarding any community impact studies that had taken place. No reply has been received.
When asked about the retraction Tuesday evening, Town of Chester Supervisor Brandon Holdridge said he was not surprised.
“I have not heard anything about this,” he said. “The only reporting I have heard over the past several days from News12, Spectrum and others is that ICE purchased it. Since I have yet to see documentation of that sale, I cannot confirm it. This goes to show their incompetence and still we have no communication from ICE.”
Attempts to obtain comment from ICE and the county executive’s office on the reported retraction have been unsuccessful thus far. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
