Claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been detaining people throughout Lycoming County have repeatedly surfaced in recent weeks.

At least one immigrant in Lycoming County, Roberto Diego Alvarez Oliva, 34, was taken into custody by ICE in May. When asked about similar claims of detentions occurring, including in the borough, Montoursville’s police department told the Sun-Gazette they had no knowledge of ICE arrests. Other law enforcement in the county also said they had no information to confirm or dispel claims.

Retiring Lycoming County Sheriff Mark Lusk said the office works well with ICE whenever ICE does enforcement, but said to his knowledge there has not been much ICE activity in Lycoming County.

He emphasized that when there is a need the sheriff and sheriff deputies will work with the federal agency, which does enforcement independent of the sheriff office.

The Williamsport Bureau of Police did not return calls for comment, nor did staff at the ICE office on Reach Road. An official with the Clinton County Correctional Facility, where Oliva was initially held after he was detained, said inquiries about how many people detained by ICE are in the facility’s custody would have to be submitted through a formal right-to-know request.

The lack of clarity or detail about ICE’s efforts in the region are not limited to Lycoming County and surrounding counties. Luzerne County-based TV stations WBRE and WYOU looked into similar claims throughout northeastern Pennsylvania in late January. While their reporters were able to find witnesses and bystanders who say they saw ICE taking people into custody in Luzerne County and other communities in the Poconos, the TV station was similarly unable to confirm the efforts with authorities.

Wilkes-Barre City Police and state police told WBRE and WYOU they also are unaware of the ICE’s activities in the region and have not been involved in ICE raids.