Senator Gillibrand Statement On General Services Administration Decision To Award Customs And Border Protection Contract, Expand Immigration Detention In Rochester

Senator Gillibrand Statement On General Services Administration Decision To Award Customs And Border Protection Contract, Expand Immigration Detention In Rochester

Feb 28, 2026

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) made the following statement in light of the announcement that the General Services Administration (GSA) awarded U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) a contract to relocate into the Kenneth B. Keating Federal Building in Rochester, NY and run immigration detention operations at the facility with limited public transparency into the decision:

"I am deeply concerned by the General Services Administration's abrupt decision to move forward with awarding the contract for Customs and Border Protection to relocate into the Kenneth B. Keating Federal Building in Rochester. Reports indicate that CBP intends to run 24/7 detention operations and construct holding cells at the facility. Federal agencies have an obligation to ensure that major decisions are made carefully and responsibly, and likewise, New Yorkers deserve transparency and accountability from the institutions involved. My constituents and area stakeholders have expressed grave concern about conditions in DHS' immigration detention facilities and the suitability of downtown Rochester for such a facility. The GSA must provide immediate clarity regarding how it evaluated the court's concerns and what steps, if any, were taken to address them before making this award. My office and I will be closely monitoring this situation."

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