A 1-million-square-foot former Big Lots warehouse is being eyed as a U.S., immigration detention center.

However, the Schuylkill County Commissioners say no applications for the center have been filed.

Commissioners were confronted by people opposed to the project in Tremont Township at their weekly meeting Wednesday.

The township has less than 300 residents.

One of the reasons for the opposition is that the warehouse is less than 300 feet from the Kids-R-Kids Child Care Center, while residents said the detention center is expected to house rapists, drug dealers and other violent criminals.

But Commissioner Chairman Larry Padora said nothing has been filed yet.

“There is no confirmation whatsoever — no deeds recorded, no anything — that this facility is even being purchased,” Padora said nothing has been filed in the Recorder of Deeds Office. Nothing has been filed in the Tax Assessment Office, nothing from Congressmen Meuser or McCormick, or the Governor’s Office, All we know are these few media reports.”

Padora said the sale to the government was supposed to be closed by Dec. 26, but no confirmation of that has been made.

The U.S. Government is developing a system of larger and smaller detention centers. The Tremont facility would be one of the smaller facilities, and would house 500 to 1,000 detainees and 50-60 employees.

Since it would be government-owned, Tremont Township would be out $400,000 a year in taxes. The tax loss would be near $1 million, including county and state tax. Plus, upgrades to water and sewer facilities would be necessary to accommodate the new center.

Big Lots closed the distribution center in early 2025 when the company closed all of its stores and distribution centers as it went through bankruptcy proceedings.

The commissioners said they will continue to monitor the situation and notify the public with any updates.