“For years, we have heard the same talking point from the Trump Administration and its admirers: they support immigration if people ‘do it the right way’ and follow the legal process. But what we continue to see are policies that make the legal process more difficult, more expensive, more disruptive, and more uncertain for families who are already trying to comply with the law.
Now, lawful immigrants are being told they may need to leave the United States and apply for permanent residency from abroad. That means separating spouses, forcing parents from children, and destabilizing mixed-status families who have already built their lives here with absolutely no guarantee of ever returning.
Montgomery County knows these families and individuals well. These are our neighbors, coworkers, business owners, researchers, health care workers, teachers, and entrepreneurs. They contribute to every part of our economy and community.
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Policies like this do not make America stronger. They create fear and instability for people who followed the rules and trusted the process, which is why no federal official was willing to sign their name to this policy document.
These policies also send a damaging message globally to the highly skilled workers and innovators our economy depends on through H-1B visas and other legal immigration programs. Montgomery County competes internationally for talent in biotechnology, health sciences, cybersecurity, energy, engineering, and research. When the federal government treats legal immigrants as disposable or unwelcome, it weakens our ability to attract and retain the people who help drive innovation, create jobs, and strengthen our economy.
This approach hurts families, hurts employers, and undermines America’s credibility as a country that values opportunity, fairness, and the rule of law. While I join with many in applauding today’s federal court decision to dismiss the punitive, targeted criminal charges leveled at Kilmar Abrego García, I remain deeply concerned with the continued efforts of the Trump Administration to disrupt the lives of so many other immigrants.”
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Read the original article at mcgov