Legislators Rebuke Teachers' Union Over 'Concentration Camp' Claim About Proposed ICE Facility

Roxbury representatives blast local teachers union for comparing proposed ICE detention center to Nazi concentration camps.

Mar. 6, 2026 at 12:33am

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Lawmakers in New Jersey's 24th District are criticizing a local teachers' union for equating a proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Roxbury with Nazi concentration camps. The legislators say the union's language in promoting an upcoming rally against the facility is "historically inaccurate and diminishes the meaning of events that stand alone in modern history."

Why it matters

The debate over the proposed ICE facility in Roxbury has grown increasingly heated, with anti-ICE activists repeatedly invoking imagery and terminology associated with Nazi Germany. The legislators argue these comparisons trivialize the Holocaust and undermine the historical literacy that schools are required to teach.

The details

The planned ICE operation would use a 470,000-square-foot warehouse on Route 46 in Ledgewood as a processing and detention center for people taken into custody by federal immigration authorities. Federal officials have said the site, purchased last month by the government for $129.3 million, would temporarily hold detainees before they are transferred elsewhere. The Roxbury council has passed a resolution opposing the facility, citing concerns about infrastructure and zoning issues.

  • The Sussex Visibility Brigade, Project NINJA, Indivisible Sussex and the Sussex County Education Association (SCEA) are promoting a rally against the proposed ICE facility on March 28.
  • On March 4, state Sen. Parker Space and Assembly members Dawn Fantasia and Michael Inganamort sent a letter criticizing the teachers' union for its language in promoting the rally.

The players

Parker Space

A state senator representing New Jersey's 24th District.

Dawn Fantasia

An assembly member representing New Jersey's 24th District.

Michael Inganamort

An assembly member representing New Jersey's 24th District.

Sussex County Education Association (SCEA)

A local teachers' union that is promoting a rally against the proposed ICE facility.

Olivia Doricco

A Lower Berkshire Valley resident who spoke at a Roxbury council meeting, drawing comparisons between the proposed ICE facility and Nazi concentration camps.

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What they’re saying

“The banality of evil is applicable in this situation. Not because of the actions you are taking, but because of the actions you are not taking. The banality of evil is here in this room every Tuesday night when you fail to take actions, when you shoot down the only people who are trying to help you with suggestions … And, lest you say 'Oh, you're exaggerating. Concentration camps? This isn't a death camp,' Dachau didn't begin as a death camp … these things develop over time.”

— Olivia Doricco, Lower Berkshire Valley resident

“Such comparisons are historically inaccurate and diminish the meaning of events that stand alone in modern history.”

— Parker Space, Dawn Fantasia, Michael Inganamort, New Jersey state legislators

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.