BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Two congress members representing Western New York are calling on the Department of Defense to open the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS) to help with deportation operations.
Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) sent a letter to the Department of Defense asking it to consider opening the air base in Niagara County to support Immigrations and Customs Enforcement with more bed space for detainees and to be used for deportation flights.

The letter reads in part:
“The Northeast U.S. currently has only one ICE-operated Service Processing Center, located in Batavia, NY. This facility, though critical, cannot solely handle the growing demand for detention and deportation processing. With an estimated 759,218 illegal immigrants residing in New York City alone, including 58,000 individuals who are either convicted felons or facing criminal charges, the need for additional detention capacity is clear. Local facilities are overwhelmed, and it is imperative that we have the resources necessary to address this serious public safety concern.
“The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station’s role in supporting our national defense can be enhanced by partnering with ICE in this effort to ensure the swift and secure removal of high-priority illegal immigrants from the United States. Utilizing this federal resource would help ease the burden on local law enforcement and detention centers while advancing President Trump’s agenda of maintaining public safety through efficient and effective deportations.”
“One of my top priorities when I got home from Washington was to set up an in-person briefing with the Buffalo ICE office to hear directly from them about how their operations have ramped up under President Trump’s executive actions to deport criminal illegals,” said Congressman Langworthy. “In that meeting, I learned that the ICE Processing Center in Batavia is nearly at capacity, and with the massive illegal population accused and convicted of crimes in New York, opening the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station to support their efforts will help ensure they can continue to swiftly execute the President’s orders. As the Department of Defense is already aiding the Department of Homeland Security in its border security measures, it makes perfect sense to ask Secretary Hegseth to consider this request."
“Maximizing every available resource is crucial to carrying out President Trump's executive orders to detain and remove illegal aliens swiftly and efficiently, particularly those who pose security risks to our country,” said Congresswoman Claudia Tenney. “I am so grateful to the ICE agents who are stepping up to protect our nation and address this pressing crisis and want to ensure they have all the resources they need to carry out these deportations. Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS) can play a valuable role in hosting detention beds and serving as a point of departure for deportations, supporting ICE’s work in deporting these criminals. I urge Secretary Hegseth to authorize NFARS to assist in securing our borders and upholding our nation's safety by allowing ICE to utilize this station in its fight against criminal illegal aliens that threaten the safety of our communities. NFARS can play a vital role in the fight to protect our borders, and I look forward to working with Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Noem to make this a reality.”
Many people were not comfortable speaking on camera about the topic but 7 News was able to speak with three neighbors in Niagara Falls.

"I don't really want it in the area but we do need to get illegals out of our country," Matthew Keener said. "If they come over illegally, I am all for it. Are they actually keeping them in or not? How secure are they going to make these?"
"I'm sure there's a way to handle the immigrants; to process them correctly," Gerald Skrlin said. "Perhaps, if they were able to wait some time and spread it out. They're going to have pushback from all of the United States too. It changes my mind when they have committed crimes and when they are criminals."
"You should go through a judicial system, if you're not here legally, that's something that's outside of the box but if you're here legally and not bothering anybody, you're not getting in trouble, paying taxes into the system like everybody else, I don't think they should be lumped together," Vonda Moore said.
7 News reached out to Town of Niagara Town Supervisor Sylvia Virtuoso who released the following statement:
"The Town of Niagara has no jurisdiction over the NFARS other than it is located in the Town of Niagara."
Sylvia Virtuoso
Town of Niagara Town Supervisor
A Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station spokesperson released the following statement:
"Unfortunately we neither the 107 nor the 914 have any additional information or any additional comments at this time."