Tearful Council Members Push Back On SCOTUS Immigration Ruling

ROCKVILLE, MD — In an emotionally charged press conference Tuesday, the Montgomery County Council and county executive denounced the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to enforce a policy that that would make it harder for poor immigrants to obtain green cards.

County leaders called the Supreme Court's decision an attack on the legal system and expressed concern for immigrants who may not seek the resources they need over fear of their immigration status.

In a 5-4 ruling last week, justices voted along ideological lines to allow the Trump administration's "public charge" rule to move forward. The rule, unveiled in August, expands the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's power to deny entry or legal status to immigrants deemed a "public charge," or possibly reliant on public assistance — like Medicaid and food stamps. In the past, the public charge rule applied to those who would be dependent on substantial cash benefits. According to The New York Times, fewer than 1 percent of applicants were denied on those grounds.

To express their solidarity with immigrant communities, council members Gabe Albornoz and Nancy Navarro introduced a resolution denouncing the ruling and held a press conference with colleagues shortly thereafter.

Albornoz became emotional during the press conference when he spoke about his mother, who immigrated from Chile.

"We are here on behalf of so many families," Albornoz said, pausing to hold back tears, "that are under attack."

Moments later, Navarro embraced Albornoz and was given the floor.

Navarro said there are immigrants in Montgomery County who are afraid to come out and ask for help.

"That's when we realized that we have gone off the rails. There is no doubt that that sense of humanity that has always made this country such a beacon has been eroded," Navarro said. "And what you are witnessing today — in some ways you might say, 'Hey, we've been here before, we've had other resolutions.' And it's true."

"But my colleague said something very important," Navarro continued. "That noise is such that it is trying to make us, somehow reject, get tired, become exhausted, and give up. We in Montgomery County are saying we are never gonna give up. We are never gonna be exhausted. We will get up time and time again to stand up with our neighbors, with our families, to say enough is enough. And we will be there with you every step of the way. Because you know what? The facts don't bear out this entire hysteria. They do not."

Council President Sidney Katz, whose grandparents immigrated from Lithuania, and council member Will Jawando, whose father came from Nigeria, both became emotional during the press conference while echoing a similar sentiment.

County Executive Marc Elrich also denounced the ruling, calling "the drive to dehumanize people" through this policy "disturbing."

He added that Montgomery County will probably "pay a price" for pushing back on the Trump administration's immigration policies.

"But if it's the right thing, you have to accept the fact that sometimes you have to pay a price," Elrich said. "And I would rather pay a price doing what's right than to walk away from this problem."