READING, Pa. – The Berks County Commissioners on Thursday heard several comments from county residents renewing their objections to the actions of ICE in Berks County communities.
Wyomissing resident Jane Palmer related incidents of residents being picked up in Berks County.
“I’m just wondering if this weighs on you at all to realize that people are being disappeared every day here in Berks, leaving their families, their children, not only bereft but terrified and in poverty,” Palmer said. “And this will continue. If they build that detention center (in Upper Bern Township), they will fill it. The The Philadelphia Inquirer stated that 60% of immigrants now being arrested in Pennsylvania have no criminal record whatsoever.”
All three commissioners have raised concerns about the proposed facility since it was first announced in early February.
Cumru Township resident Craig Schaffer said he does not want his tax dollars used to help deport or detain his neighbors and friends.
“Now that Commissioner Rivera has announced he is not running for reelection, I want to know if he will stand up and do the right thing and not agree to cooperate with ICE in the illegal and unwarranted detention of Berks residents,” Schaffer said.
Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach was absent, and Commissioner Dante Santoni, Jr. said he thinks that people know his position.
“I’ll just continue to encourage people to voice their objections to what is ongoing,” he said. “We’ve been working with Governor’s office, the Office of General Counsel at the state to try to do what we can to prevent the facility from coming into Berks County. And it is ongoing, and we appreciate all the input of our community members.”
Commissioner Michael Rivera said his position on ICE is not determined on whether he is running or not.
“I make decisions because I feel they’re right, not because they’re politically correct or incorrect,” Rivera said. “I just wanted to clarify that we are not lawmakers, we are commissioners. We do not set state or federal law. So, I wanted to just put that out there as well. And if you have not done so, I would greatly encourage you to meet with your federal delegation and let your position known to them. They are the lawmakers and they’re the ones who can create the change within ICE. We cannot do that.”
In other business, the commissioners adopted resolutions to approve:
An amended agreement with Bern Township to continue the township’s yard waste center at the County Recycling Center on Hill Top Road until Sept. 30, 2031.
Sending a letter of support for the DoubleTree Hotel and Conference Center’s bid to host the 2031 County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania annual conference.
An agreement with the city to allow the city to use the 19th floor of the Courthouse as a call center for approximately four weeks during upgrades to city hall.