The Fleecing of Montgomery County Residents
By J. Alexandra Tuttle, MCGOP Central Cmte, LD 18
Attention Montgomery County taxpayers! “They” are at it again -Your Montgomery County Council, which already struggles with a spending problem, is getting ready to fleece you for about $373,957 to provide for Legal Representation for Residents Detained for Deportation Proceedings, in a special appropriation to the budget for FY 2018. A hearing is set for May 1, 2018, at 1:30 pm, scroll down to May 1 to sign up to: testify
The Council put out a 40-page ‘Analyst Packet’ that attempts to justify the use of taxpayer dollars for people who have been detained by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This would include, but not be limited to those who have committed a crime or multiple crimes; have arrived at the border without a visa prior to formally applying for asylum or refugee status; have an outstanding removal (deportation) on record, and those who have missed prior immigration hearing dates.
The resolution (contained within the 40 pages) goes on to say that those who have committed more serious crimes such as murder, rape, abduction and more would not be eligible for further help other than the screening. HOWEVER, if an individual is deemed through the screening process to have a potentially meritorious claim for immigration relief from removal (such as a claim of U.S. citizenship; protection under the Convention Against Torture, U/TVisa or Refugee adjustment), then even persons who have committed murder could still be eligible for representation using taxpayer dollars. There is no doubt that, if this is passed by the already-supportive Montgomery County Council, we will become even more of a magnet for people who are here illegally.
A group called CAIR (Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights coalition) that currently provides “.... pro bono representation to a small percentage of cases,” is in large part behind this push for money. In a letter contained in the packet, Ms. Claudia Cubas ESQ of CAIR requests taxpayer funds, “which would provide universal representation for all Montgomery County residents detained by ICE.” One can only anticipate, given our defacto ‘sanctuary county’ policies, that the financial requests will not end with FY2018. In fact, Ms. Cubas ESQ of CAIR has already said as much in her letter, which states that she “..looks forward to working with the council in the future to provide services towards future fiscal cycles to meet the funding needs for non-detained deportation defense (emphasis added),” who are not her top priority, currently in this funding request.
It is important to note that there’s nothing new about this situation. In fact, this “special appropriation” is part of an ongoing pattern of behavior repeatedly demonstrated by our Democrat elected officials, who pander to those who they believe will be future voters, all at the expense of citizens and legal residents. Our Democrat-controlled County Council and state legislature take the limited amount of taxpayer dollars allocated for post-secondary education and give it to Dreamers, thus taking it away from a citizen or a legal immigrant. Moreover, public taxpayer benefits are given to people who are here illegally in Montgomery County, which is yet another violation of federal law (the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which notes that “…an alien who is not a qualified alien is not eligible for any public benefit.”)
I don’t know about you, but I am still reeling somewhat from the last ½ payment of my property tax in Montgomery County this past December (we pay well over $10,000 property tax). On the heels of that, residents in the county learned soon after, that the county was in the hole for another $120 million, despite the outrageous property tax increase of 8.7% in 2016.
In conclusion, if you don’t think this is okay, then I would urge you to attend the May 1st hearing at 1:30 pm., in the County Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland. There is background material, including the April 17, 2018 “analyst packet”,” which can be found here: Analyst Pkg
If you can attend but don’t want to testify, please come in support of those who are testifying. Consider, as well an email or call at 240-777-7910 and let them know what you think. Make your voice heard!