Berks County residents and commissioners press for answers after Homeland Security/ICE deed filed for Hamburg warehouse
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Summary
At a Feb. 5 Berks County commissioners meeting, dozens of residents urged officials to act after a deed filed by Homeland Security/ICE showed purchase of a Hamburg-area warehouse; commissioners said they were not notified, outlined limited county authority over zoning, and pledged legal review and outreach to federal and state representatives.
Reading — Dozens of residents told the Berks County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 5 that they were alarmed and fearful after news reports and a recorder-of-deeds filing showed Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had purchased a warehouse in the Hamburg/Upper Burn Township area.
Public commenters described humanitarian, safety and transparency concerns and asked county leaders to try to stop or slow any conversion of the building into a detention site. Eric Dixon, a Redding resident, told commissioners he would “respectfully request you use all your hard powers in addition to your soft powers to stop this facility from being implemented,” and later said, “ICE has shown that they are more likely to draw a gun on you and shoot you than give you due process.” Celine Shrier said constituents felt “very blindsided” and called for the board to use whatever leverage it has. Tilden Township resident Gerepsi Cabello Melgar described an episode she believes involved ICE officers following her father and said the purchase had made her family feel unsafe.
Why the meeting mattered: Commissioners said they first became aware that a deed had been filed by a Homeland Security/ICE entity after the recorder of deeds notified county staff. County leaders emphasized two constraints: they cannot stop a private sale after settlement, and, under Pennsylvania law, municipal governments—not counties—control local zoning and permitting. Chair and commissioners asked residents to contact federal and state elected officials while county staff pursue confirmations and legal options.
What officials said they know and do not know: Commissioner Michael Rivera said he learned of the deed “a few hours before it showed up in the papers” and that he was not contacted by ICE. Rivera gave figures the county’s assessment staff provided for the property’s assessed value and estimated annual tax revenue if it remained a taxable private business: about $22,148,000 in assessed value, yielding roughly $199,619.92 in county revenue, $31,228.68 to Upper Burn Township, and $597,110.08 to the Hamburg school district (a combined total cited of about $827,958.68). The chair noted there had been inconsistent published numbers and that county staff were still gathering confirmation of the building’s intended federal use.
Legal and administrative next steps: County solicitor Christine said her office had reached out to contacts and was continuing to seek confirmation of the facility’s intended use; she said staff would engage with the township and research legal options “at the direction of the board.” Commissioners said they had also reached out to the district attorney, sheriff, the jail warden, and the county emergency-services director, who said they had not been notified in advance.
Requests from the public: Online commenters and in‑person speakers asked the board to hold a public hearing or commission an independent cost-and-impact study to clarify infrastructure, schooling and public-safety effects. Margaret Pendleton, reading an online comment, explicitly asked whether the board would commit to a public hearing or independent study so residents could “understand what this means for our county.”
What the county cannot promise: Commissioners explained that Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILT) programs typically apply to federal public lands and not to leased or owned operational facilities like warehouses, so local jurisdictions should not expect PILT to cover lost property tax revenue.
What happens next: Commissioners said legal staff will continue efforts to confirm the parcel’s recorded owner and intended use, will contact the township to review the municipal permitting record, and will share updates publicly. County leaders also urged residents to contact their U.S. representatives and senators about the purchase and any concerns about local impacts.
The board did not announce a formal county action to block the sale; commissioners said they were exploring options and would report back as staff and legal review progress.
