Rally for Accountability Speech – Brigitta Mullican

Rockville Rally, 100 Maryland Ave. – Sunday, March 26, 2017

Brigitta Mullican, Rockville, MD 20851; Email: coburg1@verizon.net

The Rockville High School (RHS) brutal rape has brought focus to a national problem of illegal undocumented

immigrants and that is why I am here. Our county attracts illegal immigrant. I am very passionate about this

subject. This is unfair for the legal immigrants who waited their turn and came here through the system.

Montgomery County, where the alleged rape took place, is on a list of jurisdictions that have enacted policies,

which limit cooperation with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Yet officials in

Montgomery County are constantly pushing to make our area a sanctuary place for illegal immigrants.

This is a high concern for me. “When law enforcement agencies fail to honor immigration detainers and release

serious criminal offenders, it undermines ICE’s ability to protect the public safety and carry out its mission.”

Does Federal Law not trump local law?

The MD House of Representatives passed HB 1632 that would essentially make the entire state a safe haven for

illegal aliens, criminals or otherwise. I have written to our Maryland legislators asking they oppose the

“Maryland Trust Act” Bill, 1632. This Maryland Bill has everything to do with the how a community should

handle the 17 and 18 year old illegal immigrants in RHS who committed a serious crime against a 14-year old

student. One of the two males had an immigration detainer. Why was ICE not involved? It is unclear to me if

our Montgomery County will comply with the Federal immigration laws in the future. I do hope that MCPS

reviews and changes its practice and procedures.

It is not only the horrendous crime that is eating at me, it is that our Maryland and County legislators are so in

favor of making sure we don’t focus on the real problems and support higher taxes with less protection.

I do care about people and there is no way we can take care of all the immigration problems. I am not a racist

and I strongly believe in law and order. I understand hardships refugees encounter.  I do have compassion for

them. However, there must be a very serious vetting process.

During WWII, my Father’s family was forced out of his German hometown and in my mother’s hometown;

refugees were helped and taken into their homes.  My parents and two brothers immigrated to America in 1956

for a better life.  My aunt sponsored and helped our family settle into the American culture. In the 50’s there

were immigration quotas and there are good reasons for them today. I understand the immigration process and

the privilege of being a US Citizen. In April 1968 as a Richard Montgomery High School student, I made my

citizenship. That year was a turbulent one with the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.

I tell my story because now I understand why my parents immigrated. Who knew that Germany and America

face the same problems we have today. As a naturalized citizen, I expect our law officials to enforce all

laws and have legislators make the best laws for all.