‘These injustices are happening here’: Bethlehem town hall to address ICE activity in Lehigh Valley

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Community leaders, elected officials and immigration advocates will gather Thursday evening in Bethlehem for a town hall focused on the presence and impact of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Lehigh Valley.

The event, “ICE in the Lehigh Valley: What You Need to Know,” is scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the United Steelworkers Union Hall, 53 E. Lehigh St. Organizers said the forum aims to educate residents about immigration enforcement, share firsthand experiences and provide resources for protecting immigrant families and their rights.

Speakers include Lehigh County Commissioner Jon Irons; Elliot Love, an immigration attorney; and Clarice James, founder and executive director of M.I.R.A. The discussion will be moderated by Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley.

Irons is one of several community leaders who helped build the Lehigh Valley Emergency Response Network, a grassroots coalition formed to help prepare for and respond to immigration enforcement activity in the region.

That work intensified in Bethlehem after 17 workers were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on the city’s South Side in early June. In the following months, volunteers held rallies, distributed know-your-rights materials and began recruiting and training others to join the network.

Pinsley said the town hall is a response to growing concerns about immigration enforcement actions occurring locally.

“ICE has invaded our district,” Pinsley said in a social media statement. “Across the country people are being torn away from their families, physically assaulted, detained without due process and silenced in the shadows. Now these injustices are happening right here in the Lehigh Valley to our neighbors.”

He said the event is intended to help residents better understand the immigration system and learn how to protect themselves and their families.

“Join us for this critical town hall to hear firsthand stories, understand the immigration system and learn how to protect yourself and families in the Lehigh Valley,” Pinsley said. “All are welcome.”

Organizers said additional speakers are expected to participate, and the event is free to the public.