The proposal for a local cooperation agreement with immigration officials hit strong opposition from members of the Salisbury City Council. Delmarva Public Media's Don Rush has this report.
PROTESTERS: "Say it loud! Say it clear! Immigrants are welcome here!"
RUSH: A couple of dozen stood on the steps of the local government building in downtown Salisbury to protest efforts to allow local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. They represented organizations ranging from the Wicomico County Branch to the NAACP to other local groups. This is Don Rush. Both the Wicomico County executive and the Mayor of Salisbury are exploring such cooperation under what is known as the 287(g) program. Nothing has been signed, but press releases from Wicomico County and the mayor's office have sparked a sharp pushback. If enacted, it would cover handing over those who are sought on either administrative or judicial warrants by immigration officials. [Here was] Monica Brooks, president, of the Wicomico County branch of the NAACP, on the steps of the government building.
BROOKS: So as a community, we are united in saying no to 287(g). This program does not make us safer. It forces our local police to become ICE agents.
RUSH: Later inside the building, sparks flew as the city council members pushed back during their regular meeting. Afterwards, [here was] Council member Michele Gregory.
GREGORY: I mean, I think this is something that we would either vote down or if it does require a change in the charter, like the attorney said, I think that we would have to vote it down. I don't think there's any desire from any of the members of the council to move this forward.
RUSH: Mayor Randy Taylor sought to emphasize that this was an exploration and that nothing had been sought. As for the reaction by the counseling members, Taylor said:
TAYLOR: Well, you got to recognize the politics and a lot of this stuff. I mean, I guess my goal from the beginning, I think is similar to the counties, is to get people that have administrative or judicial warrants off the street. And then that's at least my perspective, whether we do the field enforcement model or whatever, that's the goal. So I don't think anybody can argue with that.
RUSH: Immigrant rights advocates say they've seen their communities gripped with fear from the latest mass roundup strategy of the undocumented being pursued by the Trump administration. Leila Borrero Krouse, a local organizer and immigration specialist with CATA, an organization that supports agricultural workers.
BORRERO KROUSE: People scared, people don't want to go to work or send the kids to school, sometimes afraid to go to church, walk around to go to the stores. If they have no transportation, they have no choice, and it's really hard for them to get their basic necessities.
RUSH: A key issue has been the impact on minority communities. When law enforcement becomes involved with immigration officials, council member Gregory says, she does not believe it will make these communities safer.
GREGORY: Something like this will deter people who may have questionable immigration status or may just fear being questioned or taken in because it's very clear that ICE and immigration right now are taking people with no questions asked right now. And so what's going to happen is crimes in those communities are going to go unreported and underreported to the point where it's going to make our community less safe in the long run.
RUSH: When asked about this concern, the mayor replied:
TAYLOR: I get that part. Like I say, I've lived in a diverse neighborhood with lots of Haitians in my neighborhood, so I understand that part. But again, if you don't have warrants and judicial warrants, at least in my world in terms of what we're proposing is: you're safe.
RUSH: The mayor said there would be more consultation about such an agreement. And Wicomico County executive Julie Giardano issued a statement emphasizing there would be no memorandum understanding, nor would any be signed until after our scheduled council work session in October. This is Don Rush for Delmarva Public Media.
