Northampton County Executive Tara Zrinski has issued a public letter urging industrial developers, property owners and real estate professionals to refuse any sale or lease of county property to the federal government or its contractors for the purpose of immigration detention.

In the letter, the County Executive calls on local leaders to “affirm our community’s shared values of dignity, justice and inclusion” by rejecting participation in activities that enable the expansion of immigration detention facilities. The message appeals to conscience and civic duty, emphasizing that economic development should “strengthen lives rather than diminish them.”

“When property in our county is used for immigration detention, it does not happen elsewhere,” Zrinski said. “It happens here, in our name, under the shadow of our shared community. We have both the power and the responsibility to prevent harm when it is within our reach to do so.”

The executive’s letter emphasizes that supporting or facilitating immigration detention operations undermines Northampton County’s commitment to human rights, social justice, and responsible development.

Residents, developers, and community members can read the full statement on Substack and add their name in support through Change.org. The letter will also be shared by the Department of Economic Development and other county partners to ensure broad community awareness.

“Our region’s story has always been one of neighborliness and courage – of choosing the harder right over the easier wrong,” said Zrinski. “In refusing participation in the detention industry, we affirm that Northampton County’s growth will never come at the expense of human dignity.”

“Furthermore, I refuse to pretend that the quiet acquisition of warehouse or industrial space in Northampton County is a neutral act,” she said. “It is likely only the beginning of something far more troubling. These facilities could enable ICE and its partners to conduct operations that bring fear and intimidation into the heart of our neighborhoods, changing the character of the place we call home.”

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