‘Silence and secrecy.’ PA lawmaker raises concerns about ICE arrests in Centre County
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- ICE arrested 24 men in Centre County in a targeted operation on Aug. 19.
- Rep. Paul Takac and advocates demand transparency, due process, and details.
- ICE claims criminal ties for some; critics warn of fear and rights violations.
A Centre County lawmaker issued a call Wednesday for government accountability and the protection of the rights of two dozen men who were arrested last week by the federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement.
State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, said he’s largely been stymied the past week when trying to get answers to what he said are basic questions.
Where are the men being detained? How many were in the United States legally and when will they be released? Were they misled or coerced into signing self-deportation orders? Will they be given a fair hearing to defend themselves?
Or, as Takac put it, will they join thousands of others who were “secretly railroaded and deported without trial?”
“These men have disappeared behind a nearly impenetrable wall of silence and secrecy,” Takac said. “Yes, we have laws that must be enforced to ensure public safety and security. But everyone — citizen or not — has a right to justice and fair treatment under the law. And justice requires both transparency and accountability, especially from the government.
“Secret police and courts have no place in a free country. These are core principles and values upon which our nation was founded and we must never abandon them. This is about what we stand for as Americans.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Monday that its officers arrested 24 people for violations of immigration laws in what it described as a “targeted enforcement operation” on Interstate 99 near Bellefonte.
In announcing the Aug. 19 arrests, the agency identified only two people. The identities of the others — as well as their charges, criminal histories or immigration status — were not disclosed.
An El Salvador man was described by ICE as a suspected member of the violent Central American street gang MS-13, while the other reportedly has convictions for assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Howard, defended the arrests Thursday in a statement to the Centre Daily Times. He did not answer direct questions.
“These were targeted operations by federal law enforcement to apprehend individuals suspected of being in the country illegally. Some of whom have been identified as having gang affiliations and criminal histories well beyond their undocumented status,” Thompson spokeswoman Renee Gamela said. “It’s troubling that some have attempted to portray these actions as a blanket roundup or racial profiling. I can assure you that these operations are targeted.”
ICE said the operation began after an investigation identified multiple “immigration law violators” suspected of temporarily residing at an unspecified location. Takac previously said the men were believed to have been staying at hotels in his district.
After leaving, immigration officers initiated a traffic stop on the highway and made arrests. Seven had final orders of removal and another four had been quickly sent back at the U.S. border during the COVID-19 pandemic, ICE said.
During a press conference last week, immigrant rights advocates from four groups — Centre County Rapid Response Network, People’s Defense Front, Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity and the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition — said 26 men were arrested, and all were traveling to work at the construction site at Mount Nittany Medical Center.
In addition to the stop on I-99, the groups said additional workers were stopped the same morning on Eagle Valley Road near Interstate 80.
The health system said last week that it did not have information to share because the operation did not occur on its property.
“Rest assured, I will continue to seek answers and work to ensure that justice is served by upholding due process and protecting the rights of everyone involved,” Takac said.
In the days leading up to the arrests, the advocacy groups said workers reported that officers were believed to be surveilling the construction site and following them after their shifts.
They identified the men as nationals from Mexico and the Central American countries of Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras. The Rapid Response Network previously said it identified all of the men, but declined to share their names publicly.
At least some are believed to be detained at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County, as well as the Clinton County Correctional Facility.
Despite claims to the contrary, Pennsylvania State Police said its troopers did not assist ICE officers. Trooper Jacob Rhymestine initially said state police at Rockview had “no involvement with any ICE activity in Centre County.”
State police spokesman Myles Snyder later told the CDT multiple troopers stopped along the highway where ICE was operating, but left after being told everything was OK. The troopers were not involved in the operation, Snyder said.
After receiving confirmation from Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office, Takac said state police were alerted ahead of time that there would be ICE activity, but they did not participate in the traffic stops or enforcement action.
The Centre Daily Times has requested footage of the interactions from the Pennsylvania State Police.
“The sense of public safety is quickly eroding here in Centre County amongst immigrant and nonimmigrant community members,” the Rapid Response Network said Tuesday. “This impacts who goes to school, who goes to work, who thrives and who simply just try to survive. As school started today, we are aware of some families who hesitate to send their children to school.”
What else is known about ICE activity in Centre County?
The Aug. 19 arrests mark the first large-scale ICE arrests in Centre County, though residents and organizations have responded to growing concerns of ICE arrests increasing across the country since President Donald Trump’s second term began.
Rumors of ICE activity in the State College Area School District spread online in January, but the claims were quickly denied by the district. At Penn State, at least 25 international student visas were revoked only to later be reinstated by the Trump administration.
The Department of Homeland Security in May labeled Centre County and State College as “sanctuary jurisdictions,” a classification that has no firm criteria but generally accused them of defying federal immigration law. After widespread criticism, the list was removed days later. Neither the county nor the borough were included on a new list released this month.
ICE said it arrested a Colombian man in March outside of his State College area residence. He was wanted by law enforcement in Panama for aggravated rape of a child, ICE said.
The Rapid Response Network said it was also aware of at least one arrest in April and likely another in May.
Centre County Rapid Response Network has trained more than 85 volunteers to verify and monitor ICE activity in the area. They have a 24-hour hotline at 814-264-4626. Until last week, the group had only dispelled rumors about ICE activity.