Department of Homeland Security

The federal government has made a definitive decision on whether to go ahead with its proposed immigration detention centers in Schuylkill and Berks counties. Congressman Dan Meuser got confirmation on Friday.

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser said Friday his office learned directly from the Department of Homeland Security that the department won't open immigration detention centers in Schuylkill and Berks counties.

The New York Times is reporting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is dropping plans for immigration centers in Schuylkill, Berks counties and five other locations.

INMIGRACIÓN: Un informe especial en cinco partes

IMMIGRATION: So far, 88 Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies have sign 287(g) agreements allowing them to help ICE enforce federal immigration laws.

With the partial federal shutdown delaying paychecks of the agents at its security checkpoints, the local airport tried to help. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport held a food drive for the TSA agents.

A deed filed Monday at the Schuylkill County courthouse shows the Department of Homeland Security bought the former Big Lots warehouse in Tremont Twp. for more than $119.5 million in January. Evidence points to plans to use the 1.3-million-square-foot building to house immigrant detainees.

Jugoslav Vidic, an ethnic Serbian, was convicted in 1998 of chopping off a Croatian man's arm for shaking hands with Croatia's president in 1991 during strife between Serbs and Croats. He later pleaded guilty to lying about it when he applied for refugee status and permanent resident status in the United States.