Community Updates & News

Shapiro Executive Order All But Stops AI Data Centers in PA

In a stunning and surprise development, Governor Shapiro has issued an Executive Order that severely limits data center development in Pennsylvania. This order has the effect of “blocking speculative, irresponsible data center projects from moving forward, giving local communities more power over data center development, and protecting Pennsylvania residents.” It’s very possible that the hyperscale data centers projects proposed by O’Neill are virtually dead in the water at this point. Read more here.

Flock Cameras Threaten Privacy

Flock Safety's network of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras has expanded rapidly across the United States, with the company saying its technology is now used by thousands of law enforcement agencies and communities nationwide, according to an article in Newsweek.

Privacy-focused mapping site FlockHopper, which tracks Flock and other ALPR cameras, currently identifies more than 120,000 camera locations across the U.S., showing the sheer scale of the growing surveillance network.

But as the network grows, so too does resistance from privacy advocates, civil liberties groups and some local residents, with critics arguing that the cameras constitute intrusive mass surveillance.

Maddow Covers Citizens Bank

Rachel Maddow recently covered the protests and win against Citizens Bank. You can watch the segment here.

Cheltenham Township to pull some $9 million from Citizens Bank

Cheltenham Township is closing its two remaining Citizens Bank accounts over the bank’s financing of companies that run detention facilities, despite the bank’s announcement it would no longer lend to those companies, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Click here to read the story.

Residents show up to oppose Upper Merion data centers

The community continues to voice its opposition to the creation of data centers in Upper Merion. At the latest meeting on July 22, a large crowd gathered, noted 6ABC.

HUGE WIN! Citizens Bank to cut financial ties with CoreCivic and GEO group

On Friday, July 17, Citizens Bank issued a statement that it plans to cut financial ties with CoreCivic and GEO group.

According to an AP story: "Citizens Bank said it plans to wind down its financial relationship with two private prison companies that have been government contractors under the Trump administration to help run immigration detention centers, bowing to public pressure from advocates and left-leaning city governments."

Upper Merion Indivisible has been protesting Citizens Bank’s financial support of CoreCivic and GEO since last September. At least once a month, come rain, snow, or ice, we’ve been at the Bryn Mawr branch with our energy and our signs. We were one of the very first groups to participate in this protest, along with Philadelphia Indivisible. Over the past year, these protests have grown to over 125 protests against Citizens Bank in 15 states.

Recently, a Boston interfaith group started an institutional campaign and began withdrawing $1 million a month of investments in Citizens for multiple months, totaling $20 million lost to the bank. Then, a church group in Cleveland joined and withdrew $1.7 million. In the past month, Jersey City, NJ ($265 million) and Montclair, NJ ($64 million) withdrew all their city governments’ investments in Citizens Bank. These four groups alone total $351 million in lost investments for the bank. Our determination and dedication have helped our immigrant neighbors. This is a huge victory!!

Citizens Bank: The Losses Mount Up

Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) has already withdrawn $3 million in pooled assets from Citizens, with over $20 million pledged to be withdrawn if the bank doesn't change course; Greater Cleveland Congregations have now joined the campaign, pledging $1.7 million to date. Jersey City has started the process of withdrawing an estimated $265 million from Citizens because it doesn't want taxpayer dollars at a bank that is "continuing to finance and profit from the detention of immigrants." The Montclair, NJ City Council has committed to removing $64 million out of Citizens. Politicians with campaign accounts at Citizens are feeling the pressure from constituents to close those accounts or be seen as complicit in the harm CoreCivic and GEO are causing to our immigrant communities.

Learn more here.

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More Bad News for Citizens

Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) has already withdrawn $3 million in pooled assets from Citizens, with over $20 million more pledged to be withdrawn if the bank doesn...

Paying the Price for Cruelty: ​Citizens Takes a $265 Million Hit

Jersey City (NJ) is withdrawing a whopping $265 million from Citizens Bank because of its support of ICE prisons.

Upper Merion Indivisible protested on Saturday June 6 against Citizens Bank

Upper Merion Indivisible protested on Saturday June 6 against Citizens Bank’s funding of ICE detention centers at the Bryn Mawr branch. We joined thousands of people across the co...

911 calls from non-English speaking community members in Montco dropped last year as ICE ramped up its operations

An analysis from Montgomery County shows that 9-1-1 calls for non-English speakers dropped in months where ICE was escalating its presence in Montgomery County and the country.

Residents make their voices heard about Upper Merion data centers

Large attendance at Township Building Planning Commission meeting.

Hunger strike at Moshannon

Nearly 100 people detained at GEO Group's Moshannon Valley Processing Center are on a hunger strike to protest the abysmal conditions inside the facility.