PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Lehigh County is evicting the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement from one of its government buildings, citing three years of unpaid rent, officials announced Tuesday.
Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Allentown, said ICE owed more than $115,000 in back rent.
“We’re going to deport ICE,” Pinsley said. “It’s come to our attention that the Department of Homeland Security has been leasing office space in one of our government buildings for the last three years.”
Pinsley, a Democrat who is also seeking a seat in the U.S. House, has called for the termination of all negotiations with DHS and the eviction of federal immigration enforcement agencies from county property.
The controller said he has asked the county administration to notify DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
“You’re evicted. Pack your masks, tear gas, pepper balls, and hit the road,” said Pinsley. “I have also asked the administration to establish a database that allows citizens to report misdeeds of ICE.”
Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel, also a Democrat, said the decision comes down to more than just finances. He said DHS’ failure to pay rent as well as its reputation of “recklessness, chaos, and public disorder” warrant severing the county’s ties with it.
“We are not going to be a party to what I think is a deeply immoral, unjust and wildly unconstitutional deportation strategy,” he said. “Local government should in no way at all be a part of assisting this administration in what I think is a campaign of cruelty and terror.”
Siegel believes ICE’s presence in Lehigh County makes residents fearful and less safe.
“Allentown, in particular, is a majority minority city. We have a large Latino population. There are folks who are terrified to leave their homes, terrified to go to work, terrified to go to their houses of worship, people that are afraid to drop their kids off at day care facilities,” he said.
Siegel said the termination of the lease agreement is effective in 30 days.
KYW Newsradio reached out to ICE for comment but has yet to hear back.