Thread: MD: Montgomery County Reexamines Immigration Policy

Montgomery County Reexamines Immigration Policy
Mike Meno

ROCKVILLE AND SILVER SPRING, MD
(2009-01-26) For years, Montgomery County has limited the role its police officers play in enforcing federal immigration laws. But now county leaders are debating whether to change that policy. WYPR's Mike Meno reports.

Last month, Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger proposed giving police officers the authority to investigate the immigration status of any suspect arrested on charges of a violent crime or weapons violation.

The proposal comes in response to a string of violent crimes in the county, one of the state's wealthiest and most diverse, and at the suggestion County Executive Isiah Leggett.

In two specific incidents the killings of a 14-year-old high school student on a public bus and a 63-year-old woman in a home invasion police say the suspects arrested are illegal immigrants.

Leggett, a Democrat, whose approval is needed for any change to be enacted, says he wants to use all available crime prevention tools. That includes possibly altering longstanding county policy by referring suspects to federal immigration officials, who could have cause to deport them.

"In situations like that, I think it is appropriate for the citizens to say, well a person has been arrested for criminal behavior, an act of violence. We should do everything within reason to make sure that that person is not out again committing a crime."

The proposal has triggered a backlash from immigrant-rights advocates, who worry that any step toward stricter enforcement could damage the relationship between immigrants and police in Montgomery County.

"That is just a very, very long slide down a very slippery slope that we are not comfortable with, and that the immigrant community is not comfortable with."

That's Kerry O'Brien, senior legal manager for Casa of Maryland, the state's largest immigrant outreach organization, which is headquartered in and receives funds from Montgomery County. It's one of several groups that have met with county officials to weigh in on the proposal.

"It's critical that police can count on the immigrant community to participate in the solving of crimes, and the more notification to immigration officials that happens, the more scared folks are going to be, and the less safe everyone is going to be."

At Casa's Silver Spring headquarters last week, half a dozen people wait in the reception room, seeking legal, medical or employment assistance.

Among them is Jose Flores, a 57-year-old laborer and native of El Salvador who moved to Montgomery County several years ago with his wife. Through a translator, he explains that if local police help deport more immigrants, he will be hesitant to talk to them.

"If he sees an assassination, or a crime, or an accident, I will be afraid to report it to the police, because if they gonna ask me for papers, I will be away from that, and I'm going to be silent."

Leggett emphasizes that Montgomery officials are not looking to follow the examples set in Frederick County and Prince William County, Virginia, where governments have cracked down more severely on illegal immigrants.

But others say stronger measures against illegal aliens are exactly what is needed.

"Montgomery County is the center of the problem with regards to illegal immigration. The policies here for the last dozen years or more have been a sanctuary."

That's Brad Botwin, director of the anti-illegal immigration activist group Help Save Maryland. Last week he urged county leaders to cooperate more actively with federal immigration officials.

"We're hoping to turn the tide here in Montgomery County and have this reverberate out into the rest of the state. If we can change it here, we can change it anywhere."

Leggett says he will announce a decision by the end of the month.

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The proposal has triggered a backlash from immigrant-rights advocates, who worry that any step toward stricter enforcement could damage the relationship between immigrants and police in Montgomery County.

"That is just a very, very long slide down a very slippery slope that we are not comfortable with, and that the immigrant community is not comfortable with."

That's Kerry O'Brien, senior legal manager for Casa of Maryland, the state's largest immigrant outreach organization, which is headquartered in and receives funds from Montgomery County. It's one of several groups that have met with county officials to weigh in on the proposal.

Of course Casa of Maryland is against it! There goes their funding, AND their reason for existence!


"The proposal comes in response to a string of violent crimes in the county, one of the state's wealthiest and most diverse, and at the suggestion County Executive Isiah Leggett."<<< I am truly sorry people had to lose their lives, BUT how many "ordinary" citizens died first? They waited to get their panties in a wad UNTIL it started affecting the rich, this ticks me off to no end!


"Among them is Jose Flores, a 57-year-old laborer and native of El Salvador who moved to Montgomery County several years ago with his wife. Through a translator, he explains that if local police help deport more immigrants, he will be hesitant to talk to them. "<<<< Same old threats, if he's been in Montgomery CO. for "several years" ( and probably somewhere else in the US for several more), why does he STILL need a translator?

Last month, Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger proposed giving police officers the authority to investigate the immigration status of any suspect arrested on charges of a violent crime or weapons violation.

This is such common sense and such a no brainer that this shows just how extreme the open-border lobby is to oppose even this small but important step. Let this be motivation to fight even harder for our immigration laws to be enforced.

Send Isiah Leggett a letter at oce@montgomerycountymd.gov

sorry that is ocemail@montgomerycountymd.gov

Originally Posted by nomas

"The proposal comes in response to a string of violent crimes in the county, one of the state's wealthiest and most diverse, and at the suggestion County Executive Isiah Leggett."<<< I am truly sorry people had to lose their lives, BUT how many "ordinary" citizens died first? They waited to get their panties in a wad UNTIL it started affecting the rich, this ticks me off to no end!

These same 'wealthiest' people probably got that way hiring the IAs! Paybacks a Bitch.