Summary
Lehigh County in Pennsylvania is seeking the eviction of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from a county-owned office building. ICE used the space without paying rent for over three years due to a lease that was never fully completed. The county has lost over $115,000 in expected income from the office space.
Key Facts
- ICE occupied a county-owned building without paying rent for more than three years.
- The issue arose because a memorandum of agreement was never turned into a formal lease.
- There is a total of $115,425.51 in unpaid rent, with potential late fees of about $7,600.
- The county has been paying for utilities and maintenance costs for the occupied space.
- An official who signed the initial agreement allegedly did not have the right authority.
- The county controller suggests eviction and legal action to reclaim the lost funds.
- Emails showed that ICE acknowledged no rent payments had been made.
- The expected lease value was nearly $141,000 including fees.
