U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement now says it did not purchase the former warehouse in Chester, reversing an earlier confirmation sent to News 12 and calling the original statement a "mistake."

In a statement to News 12, an ICE spokesperson said, “ICE has not purchased a facility in Chester, New York. That statement was sent without proper approval and this mistake has since been rectified.”

Federal officials had confirmed to News 12 last Friday that the property at 29 Elizabeth Drive had been purchased and could house up to 1,500 detainees as part of expanded detention capacity in New York.

ICE’s updated statement did not explain how the earlier confirmation was issued or clarify the current status of the property.

The agency added, “Regardless, every day, DHS is conducting law enforcement activities across the country to keep Americans safe. It should not come as news that ICE will be making arrests in states across the U.S. and is actively working to expand detention space. ICE is targeting criminal illegal aliens, including murderers, rapists, criminals, gang members and more. 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE has new funding to expand detention space to keep these criminals off American streets before they are removed for good from our communities.”

The retraction comes as the Department of Homeland Security faces scrutiny over its public communications, with reports this week that DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is stepping down amid credibility concerns tied to other enforcement controversies.

The initial confirmation on Friday quickly sparked controversy across the Hudson Valley. Local leaders raised concerns about infrastructure, public safety and a lack of communication from federal officials. Lawmakers publicly opposed the move, protests were organized, and county officials began discussing preparations for potential large-scale demonstrations if the site were to become operational.

It remains unclear whether the Chester site is still under consideration or what prompted the conflicting statements. A federal floodplain notice previously posted by the Department of Homeland Security indicated ICE was proposing to purchase and rehabilitate the property. That notice triggered formal responses from the State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Attorney General's Environmental Protection Bureau raising environmental and regulatory concerns. As of Wednesday, the notice is no longer available on the DHS website.

News 12 has reached out to ICE for further clarification and is awaiting a response.

This is a developing story.