The Luzerne County Flood Authority has voted to lease space to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to occupy space in their office complex in Forty Fort. Despite claims that ICE will not be using the space for overnight detention and that the building will not have a holding cell, the authority will not release the plans for the building upgrades to prove this isn't true.

We strongly oppose this decision that will put vulnerable Luzerne County residents at risk, all in an attempt to fill some budget holes. This decision puts money above real people who are our neighbors, friends, and colleagues, who make our local economies run, and who came here despite a broken immigration system to find a better life. 

As reported by the Citizens' Voice, the Luzerne County Flood Authority has rejected open records requests to disclose the lease with the federal government because it would “jeopardize security and safety”. This claim does not hold up, as sensitive information can be redacted in any open records request. This blatant lack of transparency also serves as a reminder that ICE often operates in secret, making its own rules while targeting vulnerable communities. 

The Luzerne County Flood Authority claims that ICE will not be using the space for overnight detention and that the building will not have a holding cell. While they may believe that to be true, it is clear that the Trump administration is willing to steamroll over local governments to carry out their cruel and chaotic plan for mass deportation, a plan that targets immigrant children, families and workers, and once again, separates children from their parents at the border.

While some choose cruelty and chaos, we choose community. While some choose hate, we choose love. While the Trump Administration chooses to separate families, remove teachers from their classrooms, and remove workers from their communities, we choose to protect all those people who make up the places we call home. Please add your name to this petition to tell the Luzerne County Flood Authority that you oppose this heartless decision to lease space to ICE, a decision that will put both documented and undocumented families at risk in Luzerne County and throughout NEPA. 

Note to action takers: We will only submit Luzerne County residents to the Luzerne County Flood Prevention Authority. However, as this is an issue that is likely to impact more counties than just Luzerne, so please sign the petition regardless of your county. 

Action Together NEPA believes that immigrants are a source of America's strength. Immigrants are our family members, our next door neighbors, and our coworkers, who help make up the fabric of our communities. We support immigration policies based on compassion and humanity within a functional system, not on division, cruelty, and fear.