Council President Natali Fani-González issued the following statement on the recent U.S. Supreme Court Immigration Rulings.
“The Supreme Court issued two devasting rulings Thursday that will fundamentally alter the immigration and asylum system in the U.S. as we know it.
“The decision in Mullin v. Doe puts hundreds of thousands of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders from Haiti and Syria lawfully present in our country at risk of losing their legal status. Many of these individuals, including thousands of our friends and neighbors here in Montgomery County, have raised children, worked hard and contributed to the fabric of our community for years or even decades. Frankly, the Supreme Court ignored the blatant racism that has always motivated this administration’s horrific treatment of Haitians in particular.
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“The ruling in Mullin v. Al Otro Lado rolls back our nation’s time-honored obligation of welcoming in asylum seekers fleeing persecution and violence in their home countries. All migrants who reach U.S. soil have the right to apply for asylum, and this decision by the Supreme Court will put vulnerable people at risk in their most desperate time.
“As an immigrant myself, I take these decisions personally. While we cannot control what happens at the federal level, we will continue to embrace our immigrant neighbors here in Montgomery County.
“We will continue to live by our values of creating a caring society where we support one another, regardless of where someone was born. We will continue to protect our neighbors in Montgomery County with legislation that strengthens immigrant protections and resources that support our immigrant communities.
“This year alone, Montgomery County has passed four landmark bills aimed at strengthening protections for immigrant residents, enhancing trust in local government, and broadening access to social services regardless of immigration status. We will continue to host citizenship clinics throughout the year, where we offer free and confidential legal guidance.
“To the people impacted by this decision: You still have rights, including the right to due process in immigration proceedings. If residents are in need of immigration assistance, help is available through the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center and other local partners who work in Montgomery County and the region.
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“Together, we will continue to build strong and engaged communities in Montgomery County.”
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Read the original article at mcgov