A massive storage building across from an outdoor supply retailer has emerged as a contentious issue in Virginia amid the U.S. response to the Trump administration's immigration enforcement — and a company from British Columbia is now involved in the controversy.

On Wednesday evening, hundreds of individuals assembled at the Hanover County Administration building, where local officials expressed their disapproval of transforming a warehouse into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center.

"The board is against the acquisition of this property," stated Hanover Board of Supervisors Chair Sean Davis in front of an audience of concerned residents.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responsible for ICE, is poised to buy the facility from the Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Group's property division. The Canadian firm stated in a release that it was unaware of the warehouse's intended purpose as an ICE detention center at the time it consented to sell the location.

Jim Pattison Developments mentioned it had publicly offered the site for lease or sale and accepted a bid from "a U.S. government contractor" to acquire the property.

A billionaire in B.C. is under criticism in the U.S. for the potential sale of the warehouse to ICE | Hanomansing Tonight

"Eventually, we learned of the ultimate owner and the planned use for the building," the statement, issued Tuesday, read.

The company noted that the sale is still subject to approvals and closing terms and that it aims to "adhere to all relevant laws."

In a correspondence to Hanover County last week, the Department of Homeland Security indicated its intention to use the 43.5-acre property as a "holding and processing" facility.

The 550,000-square-foot industrial warehouse is situated near a shooting range, a heating equipment supplier, and opposite a hotel in the quaint town of Ashland, Virginia, which has a population of just under 8,000.

Homeland Security expressed that the intent is to modify the Ashland warehouse, which lies in Hanover County, to include "holding and processing areas," offices, and cafeterias. Potential additions may encompass "tents and a guard station," according to the letter.

The local board noted that, aside from the letter from Homeland Security, there has been no other communication from the federal authorities regarding their plans. Davis remarked that the site — which had been developed for businesses, hotels, and residences — is unsuitable for an ICE facility.

Local officials have limited options to block the ICE facility's development since the federal government typically has exemptions from zoning laws. County personnel will reply to the federal authorities to express their opposition and address possible consequences, Davis mentioned. The local attorney is reviewing legal alternatives.

The small county's consideration of the sale unfolds during an immigration enforcement push in the United States. Recently, two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, igniting widespread demonstrations.

Virginia is often regarded as a blue state, but Hanover County — a quieter region compared to the nearby city of Richmond — houses many Republican-leaning residents.

The facility has already underscored the political divisions within Hanover County among the residents who spoke at the board meeting Wednesday.

Some expressed support for ICE and President Donald Trump's deportation policies, criticizing protesters, while others highlighted perceived violence against immigrants and demonstrators by untrained federal personnel.

Mark Stevenson, a bishop in Virginia's diocese, stated that by opposing the detention facility, the community is "upholding the fundamental truth that a person's worth is not based on their documentation but on their humanity, relationships, and the sanctity of their human dignity."

Parents voiced concerns regarding safety stemming from the detention center's proximity to homes and retail establishments. Others raised worries about the effect on nearby property values.

Harry Lee Hancock III, who stood outside the county's administration building holding an anti-ICE placard, remarked, "the fear regarding this facility is that what we witness in Minneapolis will occur here."

Hancock expressed that while he does not believe Jim Pattison Developments should be held accountable, he hopes Canadian firms will contemplate the implications of their assets before they are sold.

Jim Pattison Developments, headed by British Columbia billionaire Jim Pattison, noted in its statement that it usually refrains from commenting on private transactions.

Billionaire Jim Pattison's Virginia warehouse could transform into an ICE facility

"Nonetheless, we recognize that the dialogue surrounding immigration policy and enforcement is particularly charged, and has intensified significantly in recent weeks," the company stated.

"We acknowledge that this topic holds profound importance for many individuals."

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1518, a union representing food workers across B.C., reached out to the Jim Pattison Group on Monday urging it to "distance itself from any involvement that would contribute to the ongoing assault on human rights."

B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma stated Tuesday that business leaders need to reflect on whether their choices contribute to the U.S. immigration enforcement initiatives.