Berks Shows Collective Pressure Works

After massive nationwide pushback against warehouse prison camps, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has abandoned plans to convert the warehouses in Upper Bern Township and Tremont, in Schuylkill Country. In a statement, U.S. Senator John Fetterman said

“I’m pleased to confirm ICE will not be moving forward with detention facilities in Tremont and Upper Bern Townships.”

This is a huge win for public pressure! It’s also a huge win for the residents of those communities, who feared harm to their water and sewer systems, transportation infrastructure and quality of life. Upper Bern and the Hamburg School district still stand to lose $800,000 in annual tax revenue, according to Reading Eagle reports.

We have won this battle but not the war. Even without a local warehouse prison, ICE still has a strong presence in Berks County.

They are still unconstitutionally detaining and deporting people, subjecting Berks Countians to inhumane conditions and traumatizing their families.

AND our own Berks County Prison Board is still voluntarily collaborating with ICE. Our jail routinely hands people to ICE, and though they won’t be detained locally, there’s still Moshannon and hundreds of other places known for medical neglect, inedible food, physical and mental abuse.

BOW has always been focused on stopping local collaboration, and we remain so. We encourage the opponents of the scrapped Upper Bern facility to join BOW to keep public pressure on Berks County Commissioners and the Prison Board to completely end the voluntary collaboration between the county and ICE. Berks County must end its relationship with ICE, known for brutal detention practices and violent disregard for due process.