PROTECT US FROM VIOLENT CRIME

HELP THE MOCO POLICE DEPARTMENT

By Ann Guthrie Hingston

Marc Elrich’s Executive Order tied the hands of law enforcement. In 2019 County Executive Marc Elrich signed an executive order prohibiting local law enforcement from cooperating with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Soon thereafter, we organized and hundreds showed up in protest led by Larry O’Connor and Vince Coglianese of WMAL, Sabastian Gorka, Michelle Malkin and families of MCPD officers killed by convicted felons illegally in the United States. MCPD officers faced away from us to protect us as County officials and those they hired lined up across the street.

Rockville ICE Rally - Maryland Matters, courtesy Glynis Kazanjian

Policies have consequences. WJLA reports that so far this year Montgomery County has failed to honor 119 detainers and it is only February. Recently, reporter Brad Bell accompanied ICE agents as they attempted to arrest a non-citizen, convicted felon who had been the subject of an ICE detainer for deportation but was released from a local jail after 18 months. WATCH THE WJLA STORY HERE

Support passage of Protecting Marylanders From Violent Crime Act of 2024 (HB1505) introduced by Delegate Kathy Szeliga and other Republicans to require state and local correctional facilities to transfer undocumented immigrants to ICE if the individual “has engaged in or is suspected of terrorism, espionage, or otherwise poses a danger to national security; has been convicted of an offense of which an element is active participation in a criminal street gang; is at least 16 years old and intentionally participating in a street gang to further illegal activities; or has been convicted of an aggravated felony.”

Members of the House Rules and Executive Nominations committee must hear from us as to the importance of passage of the bill. Montgomery County delegates on that committee are:

LD 16 - Marc Korman 
LD18 – Emily Shetty 
LD 19 - Bonnie Cullison 
LD 20 – David Moon
LD20 – Jheanelle Wilkins 

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Ann Guthrie Hingston is a Member of the Republican Central Committee of Montgomery County, the MCGOP Organization Chair and the Chair of MC Republicans in Legislative District 16