Two residents confronted the county commissioners at their regular meeting Thursday to ask for the closure of the controversial Berks County Residential Center.
Louise Legun of Blandon read from a letter that she previously sent to the commissioners concerning the county’s appeal of the state Department of Human Services’ decision to rescind the facility’s license.
The center in Bern Township houses federal immigrant detainees who came to the United States seeking asylum. The center is owned by the county, but leased to and operated by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. DHS said it would not renew the license because the center is not in line with the rules for child residential facilities since it also houses adults.
Legun said she has participated in several demonstrations at the facility and that she has heard from attorneys representing individuals held at the center who say conditions are not appropriate for children or families.
“We as taxpayers have been kept in the dark of the physical setup of the detention center as well as what services are being rendered,” Legun said. “We’re also kept in the dark as to how the annual budget provided by ICE to Berks County is being spent.”
Legun said imprisoning children and their parents is cruel and inhuman. When Legun reached the end of her three minutes of public comment, her friend Dorothy Reilly stepped up to finish reading the letter.
“Blaming victims, demonizing and imprisoning innocent children is wrong,” Reilly read. “I can only conclude that Berks County is benefitting financially from the shameful treatment of poor and down-trodden refugees. Close this facility now.”
The commissioners thanked the women for their comments but did not respond further.
Barry Rohrbach, president of Crime Alert Berks County, also appeared before the commissioners to give an annual report of how the non-profit tip service did in the past year.
Rohrbach was pleased to announce this is the 11th consecutive year the organization ranked first amongst Crimestoppers programs throughout the state, with 31 arrests and $34,100 paid for contributing tips.
District Attorney John T. Adams presented Rohrbach with a check for $15,000 from money seized from drug dealers.
“This is taking bad guys’ money that we confiscate and putting it to a good cause to stop crime in our community,” Adams said.
Eric B. White, vice president of marketing for Crime Alert Berks County, shared information about its recently enhanced system for receiving tips, which includes the smartphone app “AlertBerks” and a texting option that withholds tipsters’ identifying information.
In addition to the traditional phone tip line, tips can be submitted through the Crime Alert website or Facebook page.
White said that the two mediums have already received 23 tips in their first two months.
“All these different applications are only going to enhance our tip accumulation process and further what we’re doing in Berks County to get criminals off the streets,” he said. “It’s already paying dividends.”
Tips can be called in to Crime Alert Berks County at 877-373-9913.
Contact Stephanie Weaver: 610-371-5042 or sweaver@readingeagle.com.
