Moshannon Valley Processing Center

Described deaths in custody at the facility, including one found hanging and an imam who died after denied medical care, and urged the commissioners to vote no on the GEO Group contract renewal, demand independent oversight, and clarify the county's contingency plan.

The DuBois-area district president said he's watched Clearfield decline and argued GEO profits millions while the county gets a small cut, comparing it to coal and timber exploitation, and urged the commissioners to stop it.

A Quaker co-clerk from State College said she came to bear witness against the detention of immigrant neighbors, noting most detainees aren't criminals and have little legal access, and asked whether the county could bar the facility's purchase.

A Frenchville resident briefly added that he doubts the warden's claim that GEO isn't planning to sell, saying the warden isn't the one who makes that decision.

An Allegheny County neighbor described a July 21 'Voices for Dignity' gathering of over 100 people, noted the absence of fearful Latino community members, and asked the commissioners to demand transparency and accountability at the facility.

A Marion County resident who visits the facility weekly described poor food quality and cost-cutting, questioned the claimed job numbers, and said she has to ask commissioners to intervene to get detainees medical care.

A Blair County resident who has attended prior meetings repeated her call to close Moshannon Valley, citing a protester placed in solitary and ICE data showing the facility's second-highest national solitary confinement rate, and asked Sobel and Winters to commit to voting no.

A final speaker said migrants are part of communities across the region but increasingly hiding in fear, and questioned what the community is willing to sacrifice for money.

A Clearfield minister read a letter from Live Free Philly clergy urging the county not to renew the GEO Group contract, citing detention conditions and deaths in custody.

Argued the detention system is fundamentally wrong regardless of jobs or money it brings, describing recent arrests in State College.

Cited deaths in ICE detention and said he wants history to show he spoke for detainees.

Read a statement from detainee Constance Lindsay, a green card holder detained since November, asking why she remains detained and describing her ailing mother's needs.

Said detainees are treated worse than federal prisoners and urged the commissioners to weigh their moral boundaries in the lease vote.

Spoke for Constance Lindsay, a detainee present at the meeting, who described her detention since November and pleaded for help returning to her sick mother.

Urged commissioners to close the facility, saying the county can't even inspect it and shouldn't profit from systems that harm neighbors.

Defended the facility's local employees against accusations of abuse, saying serious accusations require serious proof and complaints should go to federal lawmakers, not county workers.

Said she has spent $872 outside the county in protest and described neighborhood fear of a neighbor she believes works at the detention center, urging commissioners to close the facility.

Listed lawsuits and deaths tied to GEO Group facilities, arguing the company profits off mistreatment and that no detention facility should be tolerated.

Questioned how a single controlled walkthrough gives commissioners real oversight, and demanded answers on pregnancy care and congressional reports; yielded her remaining time to demand responses.

Cited detainee deaths, hunger strikes and defiance of court orders, telling commissioners the situation is the direct consequence of their oversight agreement.

Argued the facility amounts to modern slavery under the 13th Amendment, urging commissioners to end the GEO contract and pursue better industries.

Said detainees are county residents under the census and demanded commissioners hold listening sessions, resign if unwilling to listen, and investigate alleged abuse.

Read an anonymous detainee's testimonial alleging solitary confinement, bad food, poor medical care and retaliation for complaints.

A retired Ferguson Township clergy member urged the commissioners to close the Moshannon Valley Processing Center and review their GEO contract, citing denied medical care to pregnant detainees and a diabetic man's deteriorating health.

A Permarchsville... a Pennsylvaniaville resident said many neighbors fear speaking out, called the facility a concentration camp, and urged greater oversight and compassion for detainees.

A Clearfield County resident said many detainees were pulled from their immigration hearings while trying to legally become citizens, and asked the commissioners to report the criminal vs. non-criminal percentages at the next meeting.

Acknowledged commissioners' limited power but urged them to use what influence they have to push back against an unjust federal immigration policy.

A Frenchville resident argued ICE detention is civil, not criminal, that detainees retain constitutional rights, and called commissioners hypocrites for celebrating an immigrant-honoring semi-quincentennial concert while hosting the facility.

Read a statement from the fiancee of a detainee who was stabbed at the facility, lost vision in one eye, and has missed the birth of twin boys in the NICU; she asked for humanitarian release on medical and hardship grounds.

Read compiled statements from multiple detainees, describing people with no criminal record denied parole, placed in solitary, starved, deported, or dying of preventable illness in detention.

An out-of-county visitor whose medical team is in Clearfield read a detainee's story describing being stabbed by other detainees while officers watched, medical neglect, and her family's hardship.

Facilitated a phone call with a former detainee known as "JN," who described 45 days of detention with medical neglect — waiting three days for care after a migraine request.

Called conditions punitive and inhumane, cited a father separated from his two-year-old son for 18 months, and urged the facility be shut down.

Her husband has been detained over 14 months with no case status; she drove three hours to speak and described lack of medical care and family trauma.

Cited reports of worms and mold in food, high rates of solitary confinement, and urged the county to end its GEO contract for the community's moral legacy.

Spoke about suicide risk at the facility, citing eight confirmed suicide attempts and an April 22 hanging attempt after a hunger strike.

A Philipsburg resident who read from Matthew 25 and urged the commissioners to consider their moral responsibility.

Urged the county to immediately end its involvement, questioned kitchen inspections, and invoked the pledge of allegiance.

A Philipsburg Borough Council member who commended Commissioner Glass's stance and urged the board not to vote for contract renewal.

An Elk County resident who said the facility brings shame, strains local EMS and police, and hurts tourism and reputation.

A hospice chaplain who urged commissioners to investigate beyond facility management's word and speak directly with detainees and families.

Co-founder of Indivisible Outcry, objected to the commissioners' statement after the reported hunger strike and delivered letters from absent residents.