PATH Joins Effort to Win New Protections against ICE in Howard County
PATH leaders at the bill signing on Friday
This week, PATH took part in a significant campaign to defend our immigrant community members as well as the rights of everyone in Howard County, by putting up barriers to the ICE detentions that have been terrorizing our communities.
Our nation is in a very difficult moment. Our immigrant community members have been enduring unbelievable strain. Members of many minority communities are worrying about their security and that of their families. Over the last few weeks these issues have reached Howard County.
This week, the Howard County Council passed a law prohibiting private buildings from being used as detention centers in Howard County. County Executive Ball introduced the emergency legislation after discovering that an office building on Meadow Ridge Road was being renovated for use as an ICE detention center.
We want to thank County Executive Ball and the county council for being bold and taking action to protect our residents, and in County Executive Ball’s words, “draw a line.”
PATH consulted immigrant leaders, and our board agreed with their recommendation to support this bill. Over 40 PATH leaders joined hundreds of other residents at a County Council meeting on Monday. PATH leaders attended the hearing Wednesday to oppose detention centers and support the proposed legislation, as well as attending the Thursday vote and the Friday bill signing.
PATH leaders at Wednesday’s bill hearing
The Council also passed another bill (CB-17), which provides clear guidance for county employees, limits immigration enforcement at county facilities without proper warrants, and prevents county resources from being used in ways that create fear in immigrant communities.
This bill bore significant similarities to bills PATH has decided to support at the state level, and the PATH board, who helps our organizations make decisions in quick moments like these, voted to support it as well.
On Monday night, the County Council building was so packed that many people could not enter and had to stand outside. Many other organizations also showed up in force at the hearings, including Luminus and the Anti-Racist Education Alliance, who led a pre-hearing rally on Monday.
Monday night’s rally
We heard moving testimony from people like Claudia Allen from the Seventh-Day Adventists; the new president of the Howard County Muslim Alliance; powerful immigrant student speakers; and Ellie Newberger, whose family attends Temple Isaiah and is active in the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC).
Many speakers praised how the bill would ban private detention centers, whether by ICE or by facilities linked to the criminal justice system. People talked about the historical roots between our current moment and our nation’s history of slavery and mass incarceration. Speakers talked about ICE abuses affecting Muslim communities for decades.
Thank you to Rev. Mary Sulerud of Grace Episcopal Church in Elkridge for testifying. Her church is very near the site that was to be converted into an ICE detention center.
Rev. Sulerud said, “We cannot have such a facility in this county, or anywhere. It is our opportunity to take a step that sends a clear moral message that detention and deportation only tear more holes in the already fragile fabric of our society… When we are faithful in small things, we are faithful in great ones.”
Rev. Mary Sulerud and Tina Horn were both interviewed on WMTV about their support for the legislation: Hearing held in Howard County over proposed ICE facility
The County Council passed the bill on detention centers with bipartisan support, and passed the second emergency bill with 4 votes. County Executive Ball signed the law this morning (Friday). Thank you to the PATH leaders who attended and listened hard to help us understand the dynamics of CB-17.
At the bill signing, PATH leader Carla Gates started leading people in song as we waited for the event to begin. We sang, “Hold on, hold on, my dear ones, here comes the dawn,” as County Executive Ball entered—and we continued singing as more leaders arrived: Governor Moore, Senators Van Hollen and Alsobrooks, Congresswoman Elsfreth, and many members of our state delegation and County Council.
These political leaders spoke powerfully about the moment we are in, praised the leadership of our county for moving powerfully and quickly, and called for residents to stay active in what will be an extended struggle.
We were moved to hear the Governor recount the testimony of “the pastor from Elkridge,” Rev. Mary Sulerud, including her call to follow the values of her faith tradition and the reminder that “when we are faithful in small things, we are faithful in great ones.”
Shehlla Khan, PATH Co-Chair and member of Dar al-Taqwa Islamic Center, said about the bill signing, “As a co-chair of PATH and faith leader of Muslim community in Howard County, and an immigrant myself, I support CB 16 and CB 17 because they protect public safety, accountability, and human dignity. CB 17 provides clear guidance for county employees, limits immigration enforcement at county facilities without proper warrants, and prevents county resources from being used in ways that create fear in immigrant communities. CB 16 would make a privately owned ICE facility in Elkridge illegal. My faith calls me to stand for justice and to safeguard the dignity of every human being, and these bills reflect those shared values."
Read more news coverage here:
Howard County Council passes 2 ICE-related bills (WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore)
Howard County says no to private immigration detention centers (Baltimore Banner)
We are so proud of Howard County residents’ overwhelming response to oppose the unjust and unlawful immigration enforcement taking place in our county. PATH will continue to take action to defend civil liberties and advance justice and community for our immigrant members and everyone in Howard County.
PATH leaders at the Council vote on Thursday
Next Steps:
We know there is more work to do and more power to build to achieve the change we want.
This week further energized many people in PATH who want to take action and likely inspired many others to get involved. This week also introduced us to many powerful speakers and key institutions we can get to know and collaborate with.
Please check your email for action alerts.
We’re going to be working on next steps. We will be asking candidates a question about immigration on March 8th. We urge you to register and help your community to register and attend.
