After Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly took a State College area man into custody Wednesday, local advocates say they’re worried about the impact ICE arrests are having on the community.
The man was reportedly driving with his attorney for a court appearance when he was taken into custody by ICE. A member of the Centre County Rapid Response Coalition who asked not to be identified said linemen working outside saw the arrest at East College Avenue and Houserville Road in College Township. The linemen said the car the man was in was pulled over by what they said were “local police” and then five ICE agents arrived and arrested the man.
“This is somebody who's lived here for a couple of decades, almost as long as I have," the coalition member said. "This is somebody who has and knows and loves children in our school district. This is somebody who works with people here.”
She said it was her understanding that the man, who she declined to name, had had a bad "mental health day and made some poor choices," but that his lawyer was looking to have the man put in an Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. In general, ARD programs are for first-time, non-violent offenders who are unlikely to commit another crime.
"This is somebody who's been an upstanding member of our community, and there was no reason to think that things were going to continue to be an issue. It was a one-off, not a repeat," the coalition member said.
College Township, where ICE reportedly took the man into custody, is covered by the State College Police Department. In a news release, State College Police said they were not involved in the ICE action and that they did not have any advance notice of it.
The coalition member said she believes the man was being processed at an ICE facility in Williamsport. She said she’s concerned about the impact on families of those taken into custody.
“But I'm also worried about the chilling impact on our entire community," the coalition member said. "It's making people not trust each other and be afraid to reach out for help when they need it. And that's not a community I want to live in. I want to live in a community where we know each other and we trust each other and we care for each other."
This follows a reported ICE arrest earlier this month in Bellefonte and a longtime Philipsburg resident being taken into ICE custody in February.
