More than three hundred people from various parts of Pennsylvania gathered in Philipsburg on Sunday afternoon to protest against the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, which operates under the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This facility, with a capacity of 1,876, is the largest immigration detention center in the Northeast, drawing significant scrutiny for its conditions.
Protesters convened at Cold Stream Dam along Route 322, approximately ten minutes from the detention center. Another contingent assembled at Philipsburg Memorial Park, directly across from the borough office. Organizer Megan Guidi from Pittsburgh Women for Democracy articulated the group’s main objective: “We’re here to call the Clearfield County Commissioners to close the Moshannon Valley Processing Center by ending their contract with ICE.”
Guidi highlighted ongoing issues within the facility, including multiple lawsuits filed by the ACLU that cite poor living conditions and notably high rates of solitary confinement. “We’d like to see people back in their homes, in their communities, working their jobs, living with their families,” she said, encapsulating the sentiments of many present.
Participants traveled from as far as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, with some local residents joining in. Rose De La Luz, another organizer, noted that many attendees covered their own travel expenses to participate. “A lot of people paid for their own ticket, their own bus ticket, to be down here,” she stated, adding that some community members donated funds for transportation.
During the rally, speakers addressed common criticisms often leveled at such protests. When a suggestion arose regarding the presence of paid protestors, attendees collectively shouted “no,” with one participant humorously declaring, “I hate Trump for free.”
De La Luz, who hails from Norristown, shared a personal connection to the issue. Her cousin has been detained at the facility for nearly five months, and De La Luz has faced multiple rejections when attempting to visit him. “He kept calling me every hour yesterday, just waiting to see how far in line I was to be able to get access to him,” she recounted, detailing her most recent visit attempt the day before the protest. “At the end, he called me and was like, ‘Hey, you weren’t able to make it.’ I explained to him what had happened. And then he broke and I broke.”
Despite the challenges, De La Luz expressed determination, stating that her cousin has an attorney working toward his release. “Look around us, you know, we’re not alone,” she said, emphasizing the sense of solidarity felt among the protesters. “We’re fighting with a bigger community, and we’re happy to have other people, and honestly, white people coming on board with us makes us feel a little bit safer.”
This rally followed a smaller demonstration in the State College area just two days prior. That event coincided with reports from immigrant rights groups indicating that ICE arrested 26 individuals on their way to work in Centre County. The Moshannon Valley Processing Center faced renewed criticism earlier in March 2024 when a 32-year-old Chinese man died in ICE custody, an incident ruled a suicide by Pennsylvania State Police.
The political landscape surrounding immigration remains contentious. During his presidency, Donald Trump emphasized mass deportations, claiming that illegal immigrants posed significant threats. His stance resonated in his victory across most Pennsylvania counties during the last election, with only a handful, including Philadelphia, voting against him. Nevertheless, a recent PBS News/NPR/Marist poll indicates a shifting sentiment among Americans, with a majority now asserting that ICE actions have “gone too far.”
As the protest concluded, the collective voices of those gathered echoed a growing movement against immigration detention practices, calling for change and highlighting the personal stories that fuel such activism.
