June Prison Board Meeting Recap: More Questions, Fewer Answers
The Berks County Prison Board held its June meeting this week, and once again community members showed up to demand transparency and accountability around the county's collaboration with ICE.
Community voices continue to be ignored
Eight public comments were delivered during the meeting - four in person and four online. Every comment addressed the same issue: Berks County's ongoing role in facilitating ICE detention and deportation.
Despite the overwhelming focus of public concern, Prison Board members did not respond to any of the comments. At the end of the meeting, the District Attorney made a brief comment about parole, though it was unclear how it related to the concerns raised by the public regarding ICE collaboration.
ICE detainers and transfers continue
According to information presented at the meeting:
32 people currently incarcerated in Berks County Prison have ICE detainers.
0 people are currently awaiting transfer to ICE custody.
9 people were discharged to ICE custody during the last month.
Since March 2025, a total of 96 people have been transferred from Berks County Prison to ICE.
Behind every one of these numbers is a person, a family, and a community impacted by a system that continues to separate loved ones and place people into immigration detention.
State leaders push back against ICE abuses
There was some encouraging news this week from Harrisburg. Senator Nikil Saval, joined by several legislative colleagues, announced a package of eight bills designed to protect Pennsylvanians from harmful and wrongful actions by ICE.
These proposals would provide important safeguards for immigrant communities across the Commonwealth and represent a growing recognition that federal immigration enforcement often operates with insufficient oversight and accountability.
One question remains: Will Senator Judy Schwank support these efforts?
As Berks County residents, we deserve to know where our elected officials stand when it comes to protecting our neighbors and defending due process.
Take action this week
Contact Senator Judy Schwank
Call, email, or write Senator Schwank and encourage her to work alongside Senator Saval and other lawmakers supporting protections for immigrant communities in Pennsylvania.
Reading District Office
|
Harrisburg Capitol Office
|
Ask her to publicly support legislation that limits harmful ICE practices and protects the rights of all Pennsylvanians.
Write to the Berks County Prison Board
We encourage community members to request answers to the following questions:
1. What charges were associated with the individuals discharged to ICE custody?
We are requesting aggregate information only. Names and identifying information should be redacted. The public deserves to know what types of charges, if any, are resulting in people being transferred from Berks County Prison into ICE custody.
2. Are Prison Board members comfortable transferring people into ICE custody given documented concerns about conditions in immigration detention?
Community members continue to raise concerns about reports of deaths, medical neglect, and inhumane treatment within ICE detention facilities. We believe Prison Board members should publicly address whether they are comfortable facilitating transfers into a system that has generated such serious concerns.
Prison Board contact information can be found HERE on our website.
Writing tips and templates can be found on our RESOURCE page.
Keep showing up!
The continued public engagement at Prison Board meetings demonstrates that Berks County residents are paying attention. While officials may choose not to respond, they cannot ignore the growing number of people demanding transparency, accountability, and an end to local cooperation with ICE.
Thank you to everyone who attended, submitted comments, and continues organizing for a more just and humane Berks County.
Together, we keep the pressure on.
Comments