'Sanctuary County' Bill Divides, Confuses Constituents in Howard

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A bill under consideration in Howard County that would prevent county employees from assisting federal officials in enforcing immigration laws has people divided and confused.

Council Vice Chair Calvin Ball said he cosponsored the bill with Councilwoman Jen Terrasa due to concerns raised by constituents. The legislation would make Howard a "sanctuary county."

Essentially, it says Howard County employees will not collect certain information. From police to social services, employees will be prohibited from asking about citizenship, nationality or immigration status.

The legislation drafted by the two Democrats points to Republican President-elect Donald Trump as the catalyst for the legislation.

"...unfortunate statements made by our nation’s President-elect have bolstered such dangerous sentiments and caused many residents throughout our country and within Howard County to fear for their personal safety and the loss of civil liberties," the bill says.

Before the election, campaign signs promoting Trump were vandalized and destroyed in Howard County.

The bill says that the "recent national political climate has galvanized support for xenophobic, Islamophobic, and racist sentiments within certain portions of the population, resulting in increased incidents of hate speech and violence."

A 24-year-old Clarksville man was charged in December in 15 instances of vandalism near his home, including graffiti of swastikas.

In addition, a handful of high school students in Howard County have made racist social media posts that have raised concerns.

At least one Howard County council member has come out against the bill.

"There's been nothing in Howard County that demonstrates the need for it," Republican Councilman Greg Fox told WBAL.

Immigrants also said they were unsure of the bill's purpose.

Two Chinese-American residents who attended Tuesday's council meeting, where the proposal was introduced, said they were "confused" and "uncomfortable," according to the Howard County Times.

"You have to think about the language barrier," Jean Xu of the Chinese-American Parent Association of Howard County told the newspaper. Xu raised the question of how people could understand a bill that even those fluent in English did not comprehend, as far as what it meant to be a "sanctuary county."

A jurisdiction defined as a "sanctuary" city or county is somewhere immigration policies are not enforced, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, which says there are more than 300 sanctuaries nationally and three in Maryland: Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George's County.

The council vice chair stands by his legislation and the belief that sanctuary status is needed in Howard County, where he said 20 percent of the population was foreign born.

"It's an issue and frankly, I've heard from many foreign-born and others that they're concerned," Ball said on the C4 Show Wednesday morning.

There will be a public hearing on the bill at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17, at the George Howard Building.

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