West Mahanoy approves ICE agreement, seeks bids for road paving
SHENANDOAH HEIGHTS – West Mahanoy Township is the latest municipality to sign on to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287(g) program.
The township initially tabled a vote at April’s meeting over potential liability concerns.
Supervisors voted at the regular meeting on May 12 to approve their entry in the program.
Police Chief Matt Williams gave an overview of the program at the meeting.
“If we come into contact with illegal immigrants in the course of our duties, we’re allowed to question them if we suspect they are here illegally,” Williams said. “If they’re illegal, we take them into custody and we have to transport them to the detention facility [in York County] but we get reimbursed the mileage and the officer’s hourly wage.”
Once everyone in the department is trained, the department will receive $15,000 per officer, Williams said, and they will receive $100,000 upon the first arrest of a suspected illegal immigrant.
That money must be spent on the police force, Williams said.
In other business, the township approved advertising the 2026 road program for bids.
Supervisors are hoping to repave several roads in the township:
- California Avenue from Tioga Avenue to Topeka Street;
- California Avenue from Wyoming Street to Arizona Avenue;
- Arizona Avenue from California Avenue to Wyoming Street;
- Spencer Street from Pine Street to Frack Street;
- Altamont Boulevard from Route 61 to Laurel Street, the northeast lane and shoulder.
Bids will be opened on June 16.
Micquelynn Kapuschinsky contributed to this report.
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