ICE ‘arrests 26 illegal aliens in Centre County’

ICE operation underway in Centre County

Federal immigration authorities carried out a decisive enforcement action in Centre County this week, detaining at least two dozen men suspected of being in the country illegally. The operation, led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, demonstrates a clear commitment to protecting the rule of law and the safety of local communities.

According to reports, officers stopped vehicles early Tuesday morning on Interstate 99 near Bellefonte as workers headed toward the Mount Nittany Medical Center construction site. A second stop soon followed on Eagle Valley Road near Interstate 80. Witnesses confirmed several men were taken into custody during these targeted operations.

This appears to be the first visible ICE activity in Centre County during President Trump’s second term — a strong signal that enforcement has returned and that immigration laws will be upheld. By removing individuals who are here unlawfully, ICE is working to protect American jobs, preserve public resources, and maintain order in our communities.

Mount Nittany Health clarified the incident did not occur on hospital grounds.

“As this incident did not occur on Mount Nittany Health property, we do not have information to share and will not be providing further comment,” the health system said in a statement Thursday.

Around 8 a.m. Tuesday, additional workers were intercepted on Eagle Valley Road near Interstate 80. According to witnesses, ICE officers acted swiftly and professionally, detaining multiple individuals.

State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, acknowledged the incident in a statement to the Centre Daily Times, and said he is still attempting to gather information. He confirmed the workers are believed to have been staying in local hotels.

“We’re still in the information gathering stage and we want to make sure that this is a fair and just process,” Takac said. “That they get due process of law and that we continue to protect the citizens of Centre County as well as the rights of everyone involved.”

This enforcement action underscores that immigration laws are not optional and that Centre County communities will not be left unprotected from the risks associated with unlawful residency. By stepping in where others hesitate, ICE has shown it is committed to upholding order and safeguarding both jobs and public safety in the region.

Strategic ICE Enforcement in Centre County

In the days leading up to the arrests, immigration advocacy groups acknowledged that workers noticed federal officers monitoring the construction site and tracking their movements after shifts. That surveillance, according to the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, allowed ICE to conduct a well-planned operation that successfully intercepted the workers on their way to job sites.

The men taken into custody were identified as foreign nationals from Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Honduras. While advocacy groups have refused to release the names publicly, they admitted that all detainees have been accounted for. Several are believed to be held at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Clearfield County, with others potentially housed in Clinton and Pike counties — all secure facilities designed to handle immigration cases.

At a press conference Thursday, activist groups tried to shift focus by suggesting that Pennsylvania State Police assisted ICE. State Police have denied this claim, clarifying that troopers had no involvement in the enforcement action. Officials confirmed that one trooper briefly stopped along the highway — standard procedure to check on any law enforcement activity occurring roadside — but left once it was clear ICE was in control of the operation.

ICE’s action underscores that immigration enforcement remains the sole responsibility of federal authorities, not state troopers, and that the Department of Homeland Security is fully empowered to carry out such missions. The operation was executed with precision, demonstrating that those who violate immigration law cannot expect to remain unnoticed or unchallenged in Centre County.

The Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, which organized Thursday’s press conference, says it has been in a “months-long discussion” with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration about limiting the commonwealth’s cooperation with ICE.

Vivian Chang, executive director of Asian Americans United, a member of PIC, said in a statement the groups have “outlined several steps for [Shapiro] to take to make Pennsylvania safe.”

Those include:

• Removing ICE access to state databases unless a judicial warrant has been issued
• Ending state prison and probation data sharing and collaboration
• Prohibiting state police from contacting ICE or providing assistance for enforcement efforts
• Not leasing state facilities to ICE
• Only collecting and sharing information that is “absolutely necessary” from Pennsylvania public benefit programs
• Prohibiting ICE arrests without a warrant in state facilities
• Prioritizing a “driver’s licenses for all bill,” that would allow individuals to obtain state ID with a taxpayer identification number instead of Social Security number
• Issuing statements and publicly welcoming refugees and asylum seekers to Pennsylvania
• Developing public messaging about current policies on immigrant access to health care and other public programs.

“Now, this may sound like a long list, and yet so many of things are already in place in many of our towns, many of our cities and in many other states,” Chang said. “So if Governor Shapiro really wants Pennsylvania to be a leader in this country, and he wants to be a leader for our state, this is the bare minimum.”

In Centre County, CCRRN has trained 120 rapid responders since February to document ICE arrests and report them to the network, which will try to connect the detainees to immigration lawyers, according to a report in StateCollege.com.

Union Leader’s Rhetoric vs. Rule of Law

Connor Lewis, chapter president of Seven Mountains AFL-CIO, lashed out at federal officers for carrying out lawful immigration enforcement near a medical facility construction project. In a heated statement, he went so far as to label detention centers “modern-day gulags” and called ICE officers “thugs and cowards.”

Lewis claimed that “every worker, regardless of documentation status, has the right to be safe on the job and on their way to and from work.” But the fact remains that those here illegally are not entitled to work in the United States. Enforcing immigration law is precisely what ensures fairness for American workers and prevents the continued exploitation of vulnerable populations by contractors who knowingly hire unauthorized labor.

While Lewis promoted a protest in Philipsburg outside the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, his call to action underscores how out of step these advocacy positions are with the rule of law. Taxpayer-funded detention centers are not “concentration camps”; they are regulated facilities designed to hold individuals until their immigration status is lawfully adjudicated.

Americans deserve secure communities, fair job opportunities, and respect for the law. ICE’s actions in Centre County are a reminder that those principles are not negotiable.

Background on ICE Presence in Centre County

For months, Centre County residents have speculated about possible immigration enforcement under President Trump’s second term. Earlier this year, rumors of ICE activity in the State College Area School District circulated online but were quickly debunked by district officials. Similarly, at Penn State, at least 25 international student visas were initially revoked before later being reinstated by the administration.

In May, the Department of Homeland Security briefly listed Centre County and State College as “sanctuary jurisdictions,” a designation suggesting defiance of federal immigration law. Although the list was later withdrawn after political criticism, the classification highlighted growing concern over local cooperation with federal authorities.

Meanwhile, advocacy groups such as the Centre County Rapid Response Network have worked to monitor ICE, training more than 85 volunteers and operating a hotline to “verify” enforcement actions. Up until this week, their efforts had largely consisted of dispelling rumors. Now, with a legitimate federal operation confirmed, their network has been forced to acknowledge that ICE is active in Centre County — and that the enforcement of immigration law is not theoretical, but real.

The presence of ICE operations in Centre County reinforces a simple truth: immigration law must be enforced everywhere, including communities that some have attempted to shield from accountability. With federal officers acting decisively, rumors give way to reality — and the rule of law prevails.