Lehigh County Moves to Evict DHS Office Over Three Years of Unpaid Rent
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania has begun formal eviction proceedings against the Department of Homeland Security after officials say Homeland Security Investigations has occupied county‑owned office space in Allentown since late 2022 without paying more than $115,000 in rent. County Executive Josh Siegel announced he was terminating DHS’s agreement at the Hamilton Financial Center and giving the agency 30 days to vacate, calling DHS’s conduct and 'national reputation for recklessness' incompatible with the county and vowing not to accept 'blood money.' Controller Mark Pinsley said a county review found that an initial 10‑month memorandum of agreement, signed by a DHS representative later deemed unauthorized, was never followed by a finalized lease, and that no rent payments were ever recorded even though agents continued using the space. DHS and ICE have not responded to requests for comment, while District Attorney Gavin Holihan noted the office has been used for HSI investigative work such as human‑trafficking cases, not deportation operations, even as Pinsley links the move to broader outrage over ICE raids and the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis. The dispute underscores how local governments are starting to use basic landlord powers and contract law to push back on the Trump administration’s immigration surge, raising questions about how DHS will maintain field offices in jurisdictions that no longer want them as tenants.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- Lehigh County officials say DHS Homeland Security Investigations has not paid rent on county‑owned office space in Allentown since entering a memorandum of agreement on Dec. 1, 2022, leaving more than $115,000 outstanding.
- County Executive Josh Siegel has declared the lease terminated, ordered DHS to vacate within 30 days, and framed the eviction as a response both to nonpayment and DHS’s 'reputation for recklessness, chaos, and public disorder.'
- Controller Mark Pinsley says an initial 10‑month MOA was signed by a DHS official later found to lack authority, a three‑year lease from Oct. 1, 2023–Sept. 30, 2026 was never executed, and no rent payments have been recorded despite continued occupancy.
- Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan says the HSI office has been used for joint investigations such as human‑trafficking cases, not deportation or removal operations, while Pinsley publicly tied the eviction to concerns over ICE’s national conduct, including Minnesota raids and the killing of Renee Good.
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