Lehigh County Executive and Controller Move to Evict DHS Homeland Security Investigations Office Over Alleged $115,000 Unpaid Rent and 'Blood Money' Dispute
Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel and Controller Mark Pinsley moved to evict a DHS Homeland Security Investigations/ICE office from county-owned space, saying the agency has occupied the space for 38 months without a fully executed lease and now owes about $115,000 in back rent. Siegel called ICE’s presence a "threat to public safety and public trust" and said the county will issue a 30-day eviction notice, while Pinsley — who urged officials to "deport ICE" and told Kristi Noem to "pack your masks, tear gas and pepper balls and hit the road" — was criticized by Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R‑Pa., as engaging in "far-left politics" that could hamper investigations into human trafficking and other crimes.
📌 Key Facts
- Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel and Controller Mark Pinsley moved to evict the DHS/Homeland Security Investigations (ICE) office and said the county will issue a 30-day eviction notice.
- Pinsley’s office says DHS/ICE has occupied county-owned space for 38 months without a fully executed lease and now owes about $115,000 in back rent.
- Pinsley, at a press conference, declared “We can give them a taste of their own medicine. We are going to deport ICE,” and told “DHS Secretary Kristi Noem” to “pack your masks, tear gas and pepper balls and hit the road.”
- Siegel told local TV that ICE’s presence is a “threat to public safety and public trust.”
- Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R‑Pa.) publicly condemned the eviction effort as “far-left politics,” warning it could sabotage investigations into human trafficking and other serious crimes.
- Coverage frames the dispute as over alleged $115,000 in unpaid rent and has been described in headlines as a “blood money” rent controversy.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., publicly condemned the eviction effort, calling it 'far-left politics' and warning it could sabotage investigations into human trafficking and other serious crimes.
- Controller Mark Pinsley said at the press conference, 'We can give them a taste of their own medicine. We are going to deport ICE,' and told DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to 'pack your masks, tear gas and pepper balls and hit the road.'
- County Executive Josh Siegel told local TV that ICE’s presence is a 'threat to public safety and public trust' and said the county will issue an eviction notice giving the agency 30 days to leave.
- Pinsley’s office claims DHS/ICE has occupied the county-owned space for 38 months without a fully executed lease and now owes about $115,000 in back rent.