Saying the United States is standing “at the threshold of a historic turning point,” Congressman Dan Meuser stated his support for the U.S. conducting bombings in Iran.
Meuser (PA-9) also provided statements to LebTown concerning the construction of ICE detainment facilities, including two slated to be located in his legislative district in Berks and Schuylkill counties.
LebTown reached out to Meuser for comment and sent his legislative staff questions after the 50th gathering of the local protest group Mondays with Meuser on March 2, as well as regarding some Lebanon County-based law enforcement agencies that signed 287(g) agreements to work with U.S. Immigration and Enforcement officials. Responses weren’t received from Meuser prior to publication of that article on Tuesday, March 3.
Since March 2025, Mondays with Meuser has been asking Meuser to hold a public town hall-style meeting with his constituents and for him to uphold the U.S. Constitution, according to protest co-founder Michael Schroeder.
“This is like the bottom line for any public representative to meet with their constituents and listen to their concerns. He met with a small delegation of us once, but since then, he’s only held tightly choreographed, by-invitation-only public meetings. And so again, that remains at the top of our list in terms of our demands of Dan Meuser,” Schroeder said to a crowd of about 60 people at the 50th protest. “But secondly, and just as important, is to adhere to his oath of office to protect and support the Constitution of the United States of America, which he is manifestly not doing now, particularly with this war on Iran.”
The war in Iran
“We stand at the threshold of a historic turning point,” Meuser said in a statement concerning the U.S. bombings in Iran. “For nearly five decades, Iran has pursued a dangerous agenda of Shia Islamic revolution, anti-Western hostility, and nuclear armament, inflicting harm across the region and beyond. Now, through resolute action by the United States and Israel, we are drawing a firm line, offering the Iranian people and the broader Middle East a genuine opportunity for freedom, stability, and peace.”
Meuser was asked when he learned of the bombings, his reaction to the news, whether he discussed it with President Trump and, if so, when. He was also asked if he objects that the president didn’t announce the action before it was launched, how long he believes the military action will last, how he will vote if Trump asks Congress to declare war, and whether he supports American troops being on the ground in Iran.
The second statement concerning Iran from Meuser says that, “given developments in the Middle East and the ongoing threat posed by Iran and its terrorist proxies,” Democrats in the House and Senate “must cease the politics and must immediately fund the Department of Homeland Security. At a moment like this, blocking funding for the Department of Homeland Security is irresponsible and dangerous to our homeland. Democrats in Congress must join Republicans, act responsibly and stop blocking efforts to fund DHS. Protecting the American people is a fundamental responsibility of our government, and we cannot afford delays when it comes to our national security. Lastly, Let’s pray for our brave men and women carrying out this operation.”
His staff sent the following three interviews he’s conducted concerning Iran that were posted to the social media site X.
ICE Facilities
Meuser was more expansive in discussing ICE facilities, providing a four-paragraph statement. The first paragraph explains what has happened through early March.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has purchased two facilities in Pennsylvania’s Ninth District, one in Tremont Township in Schuylkill County and another outside Hamburg in Berks County. The Tremont facility is intended to serve as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, and the Hamburg facility is expected to operate as an ICE processing center, with DHS indicating the facilities could employ as many as 2,000 workers from the surrounding area.”
In response to a local resident’s concerns about having ICE facilities close to Lebanon County and whether this made the area safer, Meuser wrote: “These recent developments have raised serious concerns, and I share many of the same questions being raised by local officials and residents. I have been in regular communication with DHS officials and spoken with elected leaders in both Schuylkill and Berks Counties, and we will continue those discussions as we work to get clear answers.”
On Thursday, March 5, the Shapiro administration voiced opposition to the proposed immigrant detention centers and issued administrative orders claiming that housing anyone at either location would violate state water regulations.
Meuser’s comments, received on March 4, a day before Shapiro’s announcement, included this statement about concerns over the facilities:
“Outstanding questions include water and sewage capacity, utility usage, transportation impacts, security considerations, potential impacts on local tax revenue, and the overall operational plan. I’ve convened a meeting, bringing together Schuylkill and Berks County officials with DHS (Department of Homeland Security) to address these issues directly and ensure transparency moving forward.”
The statement follows LebTown noting the economic impact from a significant loss of local tax bases following an ICE property purchase. Reports have said Tremont’s tax base would decrease by 61% following the ICE facility purchase there.
The local economy was also a focus since work on ICE facilities goes to government contractors, not local construction firms. Meuser previously said the facilities and the workers employed there would have a positive economic impact on the region.
On Monday, reports noted that a Pennsylvania construction company based in Gettysburg was hired to construct an ICE facility in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Another area of focus concerned four law enforcement agencies signing 287(g) agreements with ICE. Since questions were sent to the congressman’s staff, a fifth local agency, Cornwall Borough Police Department, also filed a 287(g) agreement with the federal government. LebTown previously reported that Lebanon city officials are discussing the issue but hasn’t taken any formal action as of publication.
The other local law enforcement agencies who signed 287(g) agreements are the Lebanon County district attorney’s and sheriff’s offices and the Lebanon County Regional and South Lebanon Township police departments. Those agreements were signed in early February and posted to the DHS website on Feb. 10.
The agreements are a legal document between law enforcement and the federal agency concerning cooperation during ICE immigration operations.
LebTown asked Meuser if an ICE mission was going to be conducted in Lebanon County, and if a local operation is necessary. Similarly, Cornwall resident Dr. Tom Overholt asked after Monday’s protest about the number of felons believed to be in Lebanon County and if local residents are safe from hardened criminals on the streets.
Overholt asked that same question of Lebanon County Commissioners on Thursday, March 12. Commission chairman Mike Kuhn said he wasn’t aware how many felons with arrest warrants live in Lebanon County or are in the U.S. illegally.
Protesters at the meeting asked commissioners to adopt a resolution strongly discouraging county staff from working with ICE. Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz made a motion to adopt the resolution, but it died for lack of a second.
“Before we start inviting ICE in to patrol our streets, don’t we think we should at least have an estimate of what’s going on?” Overholt asked. “And how were those situations handled before ICE decided to have 287(g)s and train our police officers to go look for undocumented immigrants in our county?”
Meuser did not say if there’s a plan for the detention facilities once ICE operations end or if he thinks detainees should receive due process in a court of law. Critics have said that, in many cases, detainees are not given their day in court.
In his final paragraph, Meuser says: “During the Biden-Harris Administration, perhaps more than 15 million illegal immigrants unlawfully entered the United States, and there is reason to believe that as many as 1 million may have crossed our borders with criminal records. That reality has placed significant strain on our immigration system, resulting in detention and processing centers becoming a reality in many communities, including our own. Regardless of the circumstances, we will continue to monitor these facilities and provide oversight to ensure they operate responsibly and in a manner that is not overly intrusive to our community.”
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