Six Bhutanese legal residents from the Harrisburg community in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, are set to be placed on a flight within the next 72 hours. These individuals were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month.
The detainees' families were informed of the impending flight, but the lack of clarity regarding their destination has raised concerns. Dauphin County officials have confirmed that the six individuals are legal permanent residents and have been long-time members of the Bhutanese refugee community in the area. Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the importance of ensuring that those detained receive full due process, stating, "I want to make sure that anyone who’s been rounded up by the federal government is given their full due process."
The chairman of the Bhutanese Community in Harrisburg, Tilak Niroula, shared that the detainees were informed of their upcoming flight, but ICE has not commented on future operations. As reported by Local21News, the uncertainty surrounding the situation has left the community and families anxious about the future of these individuals.
While the exact reasons for their detention remain unclear, the situation highlights ongoing concerns about immigration enforcement and the treatment of legal residents. As the departure time approaches, community members and officials continue to seek clarity and ensure the rights of the detainees are upheld.