NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Two South Jersey congressmen have said the Trump administration hasn’t adequately responded to their questions about its plans to house undocumented immigrants at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County.
The White House said the site would be used as temporary housing for immigrants lacking permanent legal status and that the base’s airfield will be used for deportation flights.
U.S. Reps. Donald Norcross and Herb Conaway began asking questions in July about the migrant detention plans at the joint base. Months later, they said they received an official response that there were indeed plans for temporary housing there, but no details. Norcross said the administration didn’t answer a single question that was asked.
“It’s not, generally speaking, those who are operating the base. They have been as transparent as they can and are allowed to be. This goes right to the home headquarters of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security," he said.
“If you have nothing to hide, there should be no problem allowing us to get full transparency of what’s taking place. If you’re hiding something, you act this way.”
In a statement on the base’s website, officials said the administration’s plans wouldn’t have a negative impact on military readiness or daily operations there.