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Letter stating the Berks County commissioner's opposition to keeping the residential center open as a facility to house immigrant families seeking asylum.
Letter stating the Berks County commissioner's opposition to keeping the residential center open as a facility to house immigrant families seeking asylum.
Letter stating the Berks County commissioner's opposition to keeping the residential center open as a facility to house immigrant families seeking asylum.
Berks County Services Center-13" Floor
633 Court Street
Reading, PA 19601-4310
610-478-6136, ext. 6133
610-478-6293 Fax
swww.countyofberks.com
July 16, 2019
Subject: Berks County Residential Center (BCRC)
To the People of Berks County,
Since 2001, the County of Berks has been supporting the efforts of the Federal
Government in keeping families together while awaiting the legal process for asylum. Over
these 18 years our management and staff have done a tremendous job under difficult political
and public debate circumstances, with one inexcusable exception. The employees have been
unfairly accused and ultimately exonerated with respect to scurrilous statements made by
anonymous sources, activists and immigration attorneys. The 59 employees presently
employed to provide shelter care, interpretation services, recreation, supervision and
direction, deserve our support, not our disdai
The BCRC was created to keep families together in humane conditions while they
await the results of their asylum proceedings. They are going through a legal process and are
not residing at the BCRC because they committed a crime. The BCRC is intended for short-
term stays. No one, including the employees, want to see long-term stays. That is out of the
county’s control. The county ensures the residents are safe and well-taken care of. Families
are receiving medical, dental and psychiatric care, most for the first time in their lives.
Children are being educated and the teachers ensure their progress. Report cards/records
follow them to their new school districts when they are discharged from the BCRC. Children
are also provided educational trips and leisure activities.
The national immigration conversation has drastically changed in the last few years. T
am not in agreement with door-to-door raids and I have spoken out in the past against any
Section 287(g) efforts. I am not in agreement with any change to the existing BCRC
program. I do not want victims of immigration raids to be housed at the BCRC. It is NOT a
jail and should not be treated as one.
‘We have experienced a decrease in the daily population at the center which has
necessitated a decrease in county staff positions. While the BCRC ensures a humane
transition period for families regardless of their ultimate asylum ruling, there is a fear that the
federal government is changing the immigration landscape in a negative way and I am not in
support of the BCRC and its employees being associated with these extreme changes.Therefore, I am taking preemptive measures by stating my opposition to the
continuation of the BCRC as a Berks County Government function before the federal
government makes any additional program changes.
‘The assumption that the facility can be converted to a drug treatment facility or a
homeless shelter for veterans are not viable alternatives for both the employees as well as the
structure itself. ‘The county provides significant monies to COCA for drug and alcohol
services through private and non-profit providers and the number of truly homeless veterans
‘would not justify the extremely large capacity of the building, The county could market the
building for lease to other interested parties, but I believe it would be a challenge to lease
with the abundance of space in the marketplace.
My decision certainly could create additional challenges with displaced employees
and a mostly vacant structure, but every difficult decision comes with additional challenges.
Thave not come upon this decision lightly, but with the national irrational policy discussions,
can no longer stand by and not take a position to do what is right as a county commissioner.
hope my decision will in some small measure, inspire our leadership in Washington to
finally propose, discuss publicly and vote on sensible immigration reform that will once
again create, in America, a nation that’s a beacon of hope for those seeking a better life for
themselves and their families.
Respectfully,
Kevin 8. Barnhardt
Berks County Commissioner
CC: Christian Y. Leinbach, Berks County Commissioner, Chair
Mark C. Scott, Esq., Berks County Commissioner
Ron Seaman, Chief Administrative Officer
Diane Edwards, Executive Director Berks County Residential Center