He says it will not make Md. a ‘sanctuary state.’
Annapolis, Md (KM) Some strong opinions pro and con have been generated by the Maryland Law Enforcement and Governmental Trust Act, which is making its way through the 2017 General Assembly.
The legislation would prohibit law enforcement officers in the state from arresting, searching and detaining an individual for a suspected immigration violation or inquiring about specified matters.
One of the co-sponsors is Frederick County State Senator Ron Young, who says it’s designed to protect undocumented immigrants who brought to the US as children, and have lived, worked and gone to school in the country. “They’re American in their mind. They’re American in their habits. They want to be contributing citizens. We have people who are pushing to send them home. Well, they don’t know any other home than here,” he said.
Senator Young said these people contribute to the US economy. “Despite what a lot of people think, we need them. They fill a lot of jobs that Americans just won’t take. And many of them want to go on for professional degrees,” he says.
On a recent edition of WFMD’s “Mid-Maryland Live,” Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said this bill would turn Maryland into a “sanctuary state.” Young disagrees. “I think it’s basically saying that Maryland isn’t going to take this tough position that {President} Trump talks about when he was up there saying we’ve got to ship back 11-million people or 15-million people, or whatever,” he replies.
Also on that program, Sheriff Jenkins’ comments that Senator Young cares more about the people in this country illegally committing crimes than the citizens of Frederick County and this state, Young says “It’s just asinine and he knows it too.”
“I’ve not been that way, and I don’t think anybody that is,” Young continues. “It’s just a way of trying to put somebody down that disagrees with you. It’s a shame the discord like that is occurring in the country.”
Young said this bill has a good chance of passing, noting that the Maryland DREAM Act was approved in a referendum in 2012. That gives undocumented immigrants in Maryland the right to attend state colleges and universities at in-state tuition rates. But they must prove that they or their parents have worked and paid taxes in Maryland over a period of years.
Senator Young says the state needs to find a way to work with undocumented immigrants and deport those who commit crimes. “Work out a way to keep those who are good, hard working people here with Green Cards or citizenship, and try to keep families together. But get rid of those who commit criminal acts,” he said.
By Kevin McManus