Public commenters urge Berks County to end cooperation with ICE; commissioners say federal facility not in use

Public comment at the June 26 meeting included calls from residents for the county to end voluntary cooperation with immigration enforcement.

"Berks County must end its voluntary cooperation with ICE and DHS," Crystal Kowalski of Wyomissing told commissioners, urging county action by prison-board members to stop collaboration that she said results in holding people past their court-ordered release times and funnels them into detention facilities.

Craig Schaeffer of Kumru Township welcomed news reported by the New York Times and local outlets that a Department of Homeland Security'purchased facility in Upper Bern Township was reportedly not being used for detention operations. He said the decision to not utilize the property came at the cost of lost local tax revenue because the federal government is tax-exempt, and warned the community should "not underestimate the vindictiveness of this administration." The transcript records no formal county action in response; commissioners thanked residents and said they had reached out to federal offices for information.

Earlier in the meeting Commissioner Dante Santoni reported that news outlets had indicated the facility was not being used by DHS; he thanked residents and the governor's office for assistance in the matter. The board did not take formal action on the requests made by public commenters during the session.