Seriously, Dan?

Congressman Dan Meuser wrote this opinion piece on March 27 detailing the assurances he's received from DHS about the warehouses in Upper Bern and Tremont. His tone suggests that we all just relax because everything is gonna be alright.

Seriously, Dan?

As if we don't know by now that DHS doesn't obey rules or honor promises, written or otherwise. These are the same folks who got evicted from their offices in Lehigh County because they didn't pay the rent! We can't judge the sincerity of Rep. Meuser, but we know that the DHS promises in his memo are patently false.

Our condolences if Dan Meuser is your Congressional representative. But you don't have to take his nonsense. It's important to be honest about what an ICE prison camp would mean to our community.

We know you have plenty to say, but here's a few suggestions:

• The assurances communicated by DHS to Rep. Meuser might slightly lessen disruption, but it is absurd to say that commitments will "improve" communities.
• There's a limit to how much water a place has, and DHS can say anything it wants, but it can't create water. With the draw expected from either prison camp, we're going to run out in 24 hours.
• Does the assessment of local revenue loss/impact include loss to local businesses, lower housing values, rental increases, lost productivity from trauma of family disruptions? Show us the numbers!
• Rep. Meuser references a one-time-payment, but what about ongoing infrastructure maintenance costs incurred by the area? How do they plan to "avoid local roads"--come in by helicopter?
• Sure, there will be some new jobs, but they will be temporary and will create problems for local businesses trying to maintain their workforce.
• Of course there will be "increased demand" for EMS services with over 1,000 people warehoused in a place not designed for habitation.
• Thirty-one people died in ICE custody in 2025. Already 14 people have died from Jan to March 2026. What if people under detention need to be hospitalized? How many people will die here?
• Will public safety be enhanced by 24hr/day lights around the facility? This is a huge problem for those who live close by.
• Do you really believe local officials will be allowed unannounced site visits when ICE has already denied entry to federal representatives? You can’t have “ongoing" transparency when you did not start with transparency.
• What leads you to believe that DHS will honor its commitments, even those it puts on paper?

Connect with like-minded folks here if you'd like to get involved with voicing our vision...

for justice, not more jails...

for compassion, not cruelty...

for the Constitution, not chaos...

for communities, not cages.