The streets of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, were quieter than usual this past Thursday as the community grappled with the sudden absence of a father and daughter. Their detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has left many residents shocked and heartbroken.
“It’s unconscionable to me that this is happening in 2025 in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. It’s awful,” expressed Breeda Cronin Holmes, a resident of the borough. “These are real people. They’re human beings.”
Amid calls for clarity, an ICE spokesperson indicated a statement was forthcoming, yet by Thursday night, none had been delivered. The father and his daughter, whose names remain undisclosed, were detained under circumstances that have sparked widespread concern.
Dunmore Mayor Max Conway recounted the incident, explaining that masked ICE agents detained the father, originally from Honduras, as he was biking to work on North Webster Avenue. The man’s daughter, a sixth-grader from Dunmore School District, was subsequently taken into custody. Conway noted the father had missed an immigration hearing but had no criminal history.
‘She’s a Buck’
Holmes reminisced about meeting the father years ago, after their daughters became friends. Her daughter had encouraged the new friend to join the cheerleading squad, and the girls quickly bonded over their shared activities.
“She’s a Buck, and that’s what kills me. There’s so many things about this that kill me,” Holmes said. “She was part of this community. She was in our parades. She has a Dunmore cheer uniform. This is a girl that had a future here … This is a little girl that’s just like any other little girl.”
Holmes often gave the girl rides after cheer practice, and communication between the parents was aided by translation apps. The father was a familiar figure around town, frequently seen biking alongside his daughter.
“He’s just a lovely, genuine man,” Holmes shared, recounting how she learned of the ICE operation from a friend. “The second that I heard that they knocked the man off of his bike and tackled him to the ground, I immediately started crying, because I knew that it was (him),” she added.
A photo of the abandoned bicycle, shared by Holmes on Facebook, had circulated widely, capturing the community’s shared grief and support.
“They were just like us. Just trying to make it through another heavy day in this heavy world,” Holmes wrote, reflecting on the uncertain future the girl now faces.
Sen. Marty Flynn responds
From a legislative standpoint, state Sen. Marty Flynn, a local Democrat, voiced his concerns in a statement. Acknowledging his lack of authority over federal immigration matters, Flynn emphasized the need for sensible actions.
Highlighting the nature of the case, Flynn pointed out that this was not a situation involving a public safety threat but rather a father who had missed an immigration hearing.
“Remaining silent would ignore what I view as a failure of fairness and compassion,” Flynn stated. “When federal actions remove working families who pose no threat to public safety, it does not make our communities stronger or safer. It only creates fear and uncertainty among people who contribute to our neighborhoods and schools every day … We are better than this, and our policies should reflect that.”
