Mahanoy Twp. Police have made a number of immigration-related arrests this month, after the department signed onto Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) 287(g) program in February.
Information about the arrests, which were made during three different incidents, was shared with the public through a series of Facebook posts this past week. The identities of those charged have not yet been disclosed.
On April 8, Mahanoy Twp. Police, with the support of federal immigration officers, conducted a commercial vehicle safety check on Burma Road. Officials inspected over 12 vehicles, one of which was taken custody of due to safety violations.
Within one hour, two people were taken into custody for immigration violations and later transported to a federal processing center, according to a press release.
“This operation reflects the department’s continued commitment to roadway safety, law enforcement, and collaboration with federal partners,” the statement reads.
Mahanoy Twp. is participating in ICE’s Task Force Model, which deputizes local officers to interrogate and arrest anyone who is, or is believed to be, an undocumented immigrant, as well as select other federal immigration officer duties.
The township’s department is one of seven Schuylkill County law enforcement agencies that have signed onto the Task Force Model this year alone.
Days later, on April 11, police responded to a “high-risk incident.” While traveling to investigate a noise complaint in the Vulcan Road area, Officer Anthony Moldonado heard apparent gunshots in the distance. Moldonado arrived at a windmill farm by Route 339, believed to be the source of the sound, to find what police described as a rowdy gathering.
Officers from Mahanoy City, Shenandoah and East Union Twp. agencies also responded.
Members of the gathering reportedly ignored police commands delivered in English, but responded when they were spoken to in Spanish. Police say the incident resulted in a firearm seizure and the arrest of seven men and one woman.
“Federal immigration violations were uncovered,” police said, however the department did not disclose the exact number of immigration-related arrests made.
Attempts to contact the Mahanoy Twp. Police Department on Friday were unsuccessful.
Finally, the most recent arrests occurred on Thursday when Mahanoy Twp. Police manned a safety checkpoint on Morea Road. There, one person was arrested for a DUI and two for immigration violations.