1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

The decision to utilize Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as an immigrant detention facility raises significant concerns. Repurposing a military installation designed for national defense as an immigrant holding center represents an inappropriate use of critical defense resources and infrastructure. This move could jeopardize military readiness by diverting personnel and assets away from their intended roles. Furthermore, housing detainees on a secure military base raises troubling issues of transparency and accountability. With federal control over the facility, there are valid worries about lack of oversight, limited access for advocates and legal counsel, and inadequate monitoring of conditions inside. Detaining vulnerable individuals in an environment intended for military operations, rather than civilian custody, is unacceptable. I urge you to reconsider this ill-advised policy that compromises our national defense capabilities while enabling potential civil rights violations against immigrant detainees. Our military exists to protect the nation, not serve as an extension of immigration enforcement abandoned by proper oversight. This plan must be reevaluated through the lens of preserving military effectiveness and upholding human rights.