Court rules sheriff’s ICE-training lawsuit will stay in Bucks County
Court rules sheriff’s ICE-training lawsuit will stay in Bucks County
A legal challenge against Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran will proceed in county, not federal, court. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Juan Sánchez denied Harran’s bid to move the case to federal court, stating there was no reasonable basis for doing so. The lawsuit, filed in early June by the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Community Justice Project, argues that Sheriff Harran lacked legal authority to enroll Bucks deputies in ICE’s controversial 287(g) program — an initiative that deputizes local law enforcement to carry out certain immigration enforcement duties. Harran applied to join the program earlier this year, drawing sharp criticism from the Democrat-controlled Board of Commissioners, who said the move was out of step with county policy and state law. With the case now headed back to Bucks County’s Court of Common Pleas, the legal and political battle over immigration enforcement in Bucks remains far from over.
Kutztown man sentenced in fatal Springfield drug case
A Kutztown man will spend up to 15 years in state prison after pleading guilty to selling the drugs that killed a Springfield Township resident in 2022. William Wright, 39, entered a negotiated plea in Bucks County Court for drug delivery resulting in death, involuntary manslaughter, and related charges. The victim, 62-year-old Steven Newhart, was found dead the day after Father’s Day in his apartment. An autopsy ruled the death accidental, caused by a mix of cocaine and fentanyl. Wright was sentenced to 4 to 15 years in prison, with 12 years of concurrent probation. A forensic search of Wright’s phone uncovered over 150,000 messages related to drug transactions. In court, Newhart’s children delivered emotional victim impact statements describing the grief of losing their father to addiction.
Bucks workers join Philadelphia strike as city services disrupted
The City of Philadelphia is facing widespread service disruptions after AFSCME District Council 33 launched a strike at midnight Tuesday. The walkout affects thousands of city workers — including sanitation crews, 911 dispatchers, and public health staff — and has already snarled trash and recycling services. The union rejected a city offer of 7% raises over three years, calling for a more substantial deal. Though only a fraction of Bucks County residents are employed by the City of Philadelphia, some are among the strikers. In response, the city has activated contingency plans, setting up numerous drop-off sites for trash and recycling. Negotiations remain at a standstill.
Joe LeCompte hosts LeCompte in the Morning on WBCB 1490.
