Peaceful Protest Against ICE Warehouse Detention Center Planned for Friday in Tremont Township

Concern and outrage seems to be catching.

A non-partisan peaceful protest rally sponsored by concerned citizens opposed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement warehouse conversion plans for properties located in Tremont Township in Schuylkill County, and Upper Bern Township in Berks County, aims to spotlight Department of Homeland Security detention center proposals. 

Details may be found on Mobilize.us.

The Friday rally will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the intersection of Spring Street and Route 209. Protesters are asked to assemble at the red light.

Gov. Josh Shapiro issued administrative orders on March 5 prohibiting occupation of the warehouse facilities until appropriate sewer planning is received by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

ICE’s Appalling Warehouse Scheme Draws Bipartisan Protests | Even communities that supported President Trump are pushing back on cruel plans to detain immigrants in warehouses. READ: bit.ly/4uw6SaH

— Bucks County Beacon (@buckscountybeacon.com) 2026-03-16T18:58:11.101Z

Shapiro’s orders, which were sent to Department of Homeland Security, Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, Tremont and Upper Bern townships, stated the following:

Additionally, DEP directed DHS not to use SCMA infrastructure for drinking water nor use the private well at the Upper Bern Township warehouse for the proposed facilities without legally required DEP approval. DHS has been directed not to occupy the buildings until the applicable legal requirements are met.

The orders to Tremont and Upper Bern Townships prohibit occupancy of the warehouses until further sewage planning and permitting is obtained from DEP and prohibits each township from accepting sewage from holding tanks or portable toilets without further authorization. Each township operates a sewage treatment plant that could need to be redesigned and significantly modified to receive the amount of expected wastewater from a detention center.

The orders were sent to Department of Homeland Security, Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, Tremont and Upper Bern townships on March 6.

READ: Governor Shapiro Doubles Down on Opposition to ICE Detention Centers Proposed in Pennsylvania After Visit With Berks and Schuylkill County Leaders 

While his organization is not an event organizer, Todd Zimmerman, chairman of Schuylkill County Democratic Committee based in Pottsville, said the non-partisan event was important to highlight the devastating impacts of the ICE proposal on local infrastructure including roadways, water and sewer facilities.

“We’d love to see from 500 to 1,000 people there [Friday],” Zimmerman said, “I’d love to see people from Bucks County there, and I expect a lot of people from Berks County, too.”

At their February 18 regular business meeting, Bucks County Commissioners unanimously voted to pass a resolution opposing any ICE detention warehouse facility conversions in the county of roughly 650,000 residents.

The controversial move to open the center in Tremont, a tiny rural village in Schuylkill County, could house up to 7,500 detainees. Opponents argue the private land sale was not made public until it was too late, the government did not have to go through the usual land development process, Bucks County Beacon previously reported.

Tremont’s population is about 272 residents. The warehouse conversion has been vigorously opposed since it was announced last month, multiple news outlets previously reported, including Bucks County Beacon.

READ: Could the Looming Specter of ICE Detention Centers in Pennsylvania Bring Republicans and Democrats Together?

“People have wanted this rally for a while and while I could have called for something immediately I wanted it to be an organic southeast Schuylkill event,” Zimmerman said.

According to a press release for the event, protesters will line up on both sides of Route 209 and stay on the sidewalks of Tremont. “We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with us.”

The Schuylkill County Democratic Committee is not a sponsor of the event, Zimmerman said.

DHS announced plans to use the 1.3 millions square foot former warehouse to hold and detain 7, 500 people; along with a second purchased property in Upper Bern Township, Berks County which could hold an estimated 2,500 people. Controversy and opposition have been reported over the Upper Bern location, too, Becks County Beacon previously reported.

Zimmerman stressed opposition to the proposed ICE centers in Tremont and Upper Bern townships should not be a display of partisanship, but rather support to protect the resources and activities in these small rural communities.