Undocumented Immigrants Shouldn't Fear: Gaithersburg Police Chief

GAITHERSBURG, MD — As fears of deportation continue to consume immigrant communities, the City of Gaithersburg Police Department is sending a reassuring message to vulnerable residents.

"If you are an undocumented immigrant in the City of Gaithersburg, you do not need to fear the police," Police Chief Mark Sroka said in a video posted Thursday. "Officers will not detain or arrest undocumented immigrants for simply being undocumented."

The video — which was posted to the city government's official Facebook page — comes on the heels of an executive order signed by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. "The Promoting Community Trust Executive Order" prohibits county police officers from asking residents about their immigration status and working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the agency behind multiple nationwide sweeps to deport undocumented immigrants.

There is a similar order in Gaithersburg.

Citing General Order 628.1, Sroka said local law enforcement officials cannot "investigate or make an inquiry relative to the immigration status of individuals." They also cannot "notify ICE regarding the immigration status of an individual."

"Officers must have a separate and arrestable offense in order to arrest any individual who is the subject of an ICE civil warrant," Sroka said.

In order to keep the city safe, Sroka added, the police department needs the trust of undocumented immigrants.

If vulnerable community members are afraid to report crimes and serve as witnesses, it makes it harder for officers to investigate those incidents. As a result, crime levels also rise, Sroka said.

"I encourage immigrants to report crime to the police and they can remain anonymous," Sroka said.

The full video is embedded below.

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