Lehigh County commissioners have given preliminary approval for the 2019-23 Capital Plan, which calls for a five-year expenditure of $129,107,334.

The first reading of the plan passed 8-0. Commissioner Brad Osborne was absent from the July 25 meeting.

Some big-ticket expenses being funded in 2019 include replacement of the voting system at $3,500,000; the Coplay to Northampton Bridge at $5,000,000; and courthouse upgrades at $1,060,000.

The fledgling Pennsylvania Music Preservation Society, headed by former Allentown City mayoral candidate, former 15th Congressional District candidate and former CEO of the nonprofit Properties of Merit Siobahn “Sam” Bennett, received some of the money asked for - $2,000 - not the $5,000 originally sought.

The initial request was whittled down after Commissioner Dr. Percy Dougherty said the nonprofit was too new, and older, more established nonprofits were only getting $2,000.

During public comment, Attorney David Harrington of Lower Milford Township warned commissioners and Lehigh County against revisiting Lehigh county law 2014-36 which he said sets the “specifics of interplay between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and authorities in Lehigh County.”

According to Harrington, the Supreme Court in U.S. vs State of Arizona held in 2012 states lack the Constitutional ability to make or enforce immigration laws at the state or local level.

Harrington said he could guarantee a lawsuit if the county rescinds the law.

He heard rumblings some elements of the Tea Party want local police to ask immigrants they come in contact with about their immigration status.

Harrington said he could “guarantee a law suit” if Lehigh County passes a law requiring sheriff’s deputies enforce federal immigration law.

In a separate interview, Dean Browning, chairman of the Lehigh Valley Tea Party’s immigration committee, provided a different take on the issue.

“Lehigh County does not honor detainer requests unless accompanied by a judicial order issued by a judge of the courts,” Browning said,

Browning said procedures that allowed an American citizen to be erroneously detained by Lehigh County jail officials have changed.

The procedure now, according to Browning, is detainees are fingerprinted, the prints sent to the FBI, then when ICE reviews them they may decide to issue a “detainee warrant,” if the detainee is an illegal immigrant.

Browning asserts there is no longer a need for a judge to approve an ICE warrant.

“It is our view it is time to revisit [Lehigh County law] 2014-36,” Browning said. “Times have changed.”

Browning responded to claims Lehigh County is not a sanctuary city.

“The facts are that, as the result of a lawsuit settlement in 2014, commissioners passed a resolution saying Lehigh County would not honor detainer requests issued by ICE unless they were also accompanied by a judicial issued order.

“It is this provision that makes Lehigh County non-complaint and a sanctuary jurisdiction.”