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Residents urge county to oppose proposed ICE detention center in Tremont Township
Summary
Several residents used the Schuylkill County commissioners' public-comment period on April 8 to object to a proposed ICE detention center in Tremont Township and to raise accessibility and records concerns; commissioners did not take formal action but noted a planned meeting with the DEP secretary on May 27.
At the April 8, 2026 meeting of the Schuylkill County Board of Commissioners several residents spoke during the public-comment period to protest a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Tremont Township.
Speakers included Lisa Von Ahn of Pottsville, Lara Wiscount of Tremont, and Joe Wiscount of Tremont, who each addressed the board with objections to the proposed facility. Brianna Delvalle of Orwigsburg also raised concerns about meeting accessibility for individuals with disabilities in the context of the proposal. The board did not put the proposal on the agenda and took no formal action during the meeting.
Separately, Jeff Dunkel of Palo Alto used public comment to raise issues involving the Register of Wills and Children & Youth, requests under the Right-to-Know law, and proposed data centers in Gordon and at Mountain Valley Golf Course. The comments were presented for the record; no formal county responses or votes were recorded at the meeting.
Commissioner Larry Padora told the room that the commissioners are scheduled to meet with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection secretary on May 27, 2026; the meeting was noted by the board but the transcript does not show additional direction or a timeline for any county action on the proposed detention center.
The meeting adjourned without any vote or directive recorded on the detention-center proposal.
