Immigrant Rights Proponents Insist Howard Co. Cancel ICE Deal

COLUMBIA, MD — Kevin Rivas spent four grueling months at the detention center in Jessup, which was better than living in his homeland in a constant state of fearing for his life, he said. But it wasn't where he belonged, the man claimed. He and other members of the Howard County Coalition for Immigrant Rights will gather Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center at 7246 Cradlerock Way to urge county officials to stop renting beds in the Howard County Detention Center to ICE.

During the meeting, coalition members will call on Howard County to "stop profiting off of the cruel and inhumane treatment of people put in ICE custody and demand that the county cancel its intergovernmental service agreement with ICE at once."

“I don’t believe that people like myself who are no threat to society and working to support our families should be detained as we await our court hearing," Rivas said in a press release.

Representatives of coalition member organizations and directly impacted immigrants will be present at the event, including from CASA, Friends of Latin America, Jews United for Justice, Friends Committee on Immigration and Refugees, Indivisible HoCoMD Immigration Action Team, Our Revolution Howard County, Columbia Jewish Congregation, ACLU, Kittamaquandi Community Church, Indian Cultural Association and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.