A neighbor in the neighborhood, the inhabitants of Montgomery’s Fountains turned to Dai on Thursday during the two -week council of commissioners with one main conclusion.
They wanted the county to be approved by the ordinance on the county, which would oblige to support the residents of immigrants and refuse cooperation with federal immigration bodies.
“Immigrants are also our neighbors, they are also our friends and are now very vulnerable,” said Randy Libros, who, like many who spoke at the meeting, lives in Cheltenham. “We really want to know that our county depends.”
“We must have some umbrella protection for them, not programs here and there,” added Amy Freed.
Tom Petersen, another resident of Cheltenham, asked directly: will they consider a genial regulation on the city?
“The answer is absolutely,” answered Neil Machija, a democrat which is chaired by the board.
At the meeting, which took place in Lower Merion, the Council of Montgomery’s counting council stated that they are open and consider the options for both a genial regulation on immigrants and a local regulation in the field of non -discrimination extending protection for LGBTQ residents.
But the time and details of the policy are unclear, because Makhija and colleague of the democratic commissioner Jamila Winder said that they discuss legal options with regional lawyers and consider the threats of retaliation on the part of the administration of President Donald Trump.
“This is the fate we are on,” said Winder. “We do not want to be able to lose federal funds, but we cannot change our values ​​because the President of the United States is changing.”
When the Trump administration undertook aggressive enforcement of immigration law, sometimes deporting residents who legally lived in the United States, immigration supporters encouraged local authorities to approve the “greeting of the city” except for the interaction of law enforcement agencies with immigration and enforcement of the law and adventure of local and adopting local policies to support immigrants.
Politics strictly reflects the policy of “Sanctuary City” adopted by cities, including Philadelphia during the first term of Trump, but the recent name has become popular because the administration of the oath to direct the city of the sanctuary.
At the beginning of this year, Montgomery’s county hired Nelly Jiménez-Arévalo as the first immigrant director in the Ferrings, Makhija’s movement said that he would be the first step to ensure that immigrants can feel the support and protecting interaction with poviat services. According to Bureau Bureau data in the USA, Slightly over 11% of the population of the countess is born abroad.
Makhija and Winder said that they were in contact with several spokesmith organizations of immigrants and district lawyers to determine what the unit can do.
One Republican on the board, Tom Dibello, did not comment on the conclusions.
After another resident, Elizabeth Landon, was also called on to think about the protection of LGBTQ residents, Machija said that he talked about whether it would be legally to pass a regulation on non -discrimination in the counties.
After the meeting, Petersen said he was an optimist about the commissioners’ response to immigration, but that he planned to continue meeting to exert pressure.
“We must take a strong position, so I would certainly hope that they will look at a language friendly,” he said.
