Federal agents’ murders of U.S. citizens who did nothing wrong have finally triggered a public outcry. That’s been long overdue, given the Trump/Project 2025 administration’s brutal and indiscriminate immigration enforcement efforts and the misery detainees endure in for-profit prisons that even members of Congress aren’t allowed to inspect.
Where elected officials stand is important, nationally and locally.
For the past month, we’ve seen reports that the Department of Homeland “Security” might convert the former Big Lots warehouse in Tremont Township into an ICE detainment center, entrenching this federal horror show in Schuylkill County.
So on Wednesday, about a dozen people, including members of my Schuylkill Indivisible group, expressed their opposition to the county commissioners.
Besides the cruel and arbitrary detention quotas, there are other concerns:
* The strain a 1,500-bed prison would place on already stressed water and sewer infrastructure in a township of fewer than 300 people
* A location only 300 yards from a child care center
* A combined loss of $974,000 in county, municipal and school district taxes because the federal government doesn’t pay them
* Whether there’d be adequate security for residents
* Having ICE around, given the way its agents have attacked people
The commissioners repeatedly said they’d received no confirmation of such a project or that the federal government bought the warehouse. (On Thursday, an ICE spokesperson said there were no new detention centers to announce, but “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.”)
Commissioners Chair Larry Padora (R) emphasized that the county has “zero” recourse against the feds anyway, but Schuylkill Indivisible member Josephine Kwiatkowski said other local governments made it clear that detention centers are unwelcome.
If confirmation is received, she added, “is it not then too late to do something?”
“So you’re fine with illegal immigration?” Padora demanded.
Josephine said people were there to talk about a potential blight on the county, not the broader immigration issue.
(I doubt anyone welcomes violent criminals, undocumented or otherwise, and local law enforcement already pursues them. But more Americans than not disapprove of DHS’s crackdown, with majorities saying it’s made communities less safe and prioritized people who weren’t dangerous over those who are.)
Padora also clashed with Rachel Keck, who chairs Schuylkill Indivisible with me. If most of the county wants the detention center, he asked, would she be OK with it?
Noting Commissioner Boots Hetherington (R) had said the local fire company contacted him about the water supply issue, Rachel asked if that wasn’t a big enough concern.
Padora said the county would push the feds for infrastructure upgrades if the project proceeds but added that he couldn’t see placing a facility that lacks proper amenities for the people.
It does sound crazy, but so is much of what the White House is doing. And providing amenities for detainees seems to be a low priority.
Neither Hetherington nor Commissioner Gary Hess (D) showed any antagonism toward the speakers. Instead, they listened and expressed concerns about potential effects on the township and county.
Where’s Meuser in this?
I found no mention of the detention center in our own GOP Congressman Dan Meuser’s social media posts, but the Daily Item reported that while visiting Sunbury with him on Tuesday, GOP state Rep. Joanne Stehr, whose district includes Tremont Township, said she had no problem with it.
According to the paper, she said she didn’t think it would last long because the detainees “will all get swept up and out of our country soon enough.”
Kudos to Rachel Wallace, who’s seeking the Democratic nomination to run against Meuser. In hosting a town hall Thursday evening in nearby Newtown to discuss the detention center, she did what he should have.
Meuser, who spends much of his time cheerleading for the administration, didn’t come, even though Wallace invited him and even reserved a front-row seat for him,
Stehr came and caused a stir by trying to shift the discussion to national issues. She did say that while she believes detention centers are needed, the township probably isn’t the place for one.
The other 100-plus attendees opposed it, according to Wallace. With no record of a sale, she noted, there’s still time to fight it.
She said she’d like to see Meuser take a stand by refusing to vote for DHS funding without a provision to keep detention centers out of our district.
It was encouraging to see John Fetterman join his fellow Democratic senators in stopping the appropriations bill that included DHS and giving us some hope of reforming this atrocious excuse for a government agency.
Replacing the sadists who run it with people who have even a few shreds of human decency would help, too.
Canary note: Opinions expressed in any Op-Ed column appearing on this site are the views of the writer and are not necessarily the opinions of Coal Region Canary.
Want to be a columnist with Coal Region Canary? Contact us at newscanary@gmail.com.
Photo: Coal Region Canary
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...