An organized protest against the proposed ICE detention center in Schuylkill County drew a small but spirited group of demonstrators to Tremont on Friday evening, with most of the crowd against the facility but some in favor of it.
At the corner of Main and Spring streets in downtown Tremont, just a few miles from where the federal government plans to open a 7,500-bed ICE detention center in the former Big Lots Distribution Center, the protest dodged some drizzle and then a steadier rain on Friday. The demonstration against the ICE detention center was organized by Jennifer Devine, of Frailey Township.
Devine thanked those who came out to voice their opposition to the detention center. “We have to keep fighting,” she said.
Dawn Rodgers, of East Union Township, persistently blew a sharp whistle in the face of a small group of counter-protesters as they tried to relay their message. Rodgers admitted she blew the “very loud” whistle to annoy the other side.
While she did say the counter-protestors were peaceful, she wished they had taken their demonstration elsewhere on Friday.
“I just don’t want to see this in our community. I feel like it’s dangerous. I feel like we need the immigrant workers here. I feel like it’s just terrorizing. I feel like the way they have arrested people just waiting for their papers is just wrong. People say, ‘Just do it legally’ … they’re trying,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers said if ICE does open its detention center in neighboring Tremont Township, things could get “really dangerous” here in Schuylkill County. When asked to explain how it could get dangerous, she referenced events in Minnesota by saying, “People tried to protect their neighbors.”
Leading the counter protest on Friday was Anthony Walters, of Mahanoy City. He held up a sign showing the photos and names of people killed by illegal immigrants in the United States.
Walters said he believed it was his duty to “be the voice” of the people on his sign.
“These people would all be alive if illegal immigrants were not in this country. This is why we support ICE,” he said.
As to why he felt and a group of friends showed up Friday, he said, “I want to show the people on the left that we’re not radicalized. We’re human beings with civil ideas. We all just want to live in safe place. We want women to feel safe. We want children to feel safe. That’s our message today. We’re here supporting a safe Pennsylvania, a safe Schuylkill County, a safe United States.”
Pam Hatter, of Tremont, said she attended Friday’s demonstration as a way of “trying to save Tremont.”
“I don’t see anything good from this detention center for Tremont,” she said.
Alyssa Hatter, also of Tremont, held a sign that read: “ICE’S PLAN STINKS. EVEN NSP KNOWS” in reference to biosolids processor Natural Soil Products, which has been blamed by locals in that area as the source of putrid smells for several years.
She said of her reason for coming out to oppose ICE, “Tremont is no stranger to real issues being overlooked by our community. My sign has NSP involved in it, which is literally something that is destroying our town and our safety. It literally stinks here. I’m here for humanity. This isn’t humanity.”
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