An Open Letter to County Executive Calvin Ball | End Howard County's ICE Contract
Hiruy Hadgu
County Executive Ball,
In 2017, you sponsored legislation (CB9-2017) to make Howard County a Sanctuary County.
At that time you said, "The recent national political climate, increased incidents of hate speech and violence, and unfortunate statements made by our nation's President-elect, has caused many in the Howard County community to fear for their personal safety and the loss of civil liberties,…”[1]
Unfortunately, that legislation was vetoed by then County Executive Allan Kittleman, who called it “a "hollow political statement" that provides a false sense of security, compromises community safety and could compromise federal funding for critical programs and services.”[2]
We were disappointed by that outcome and he was voted out a year later.
Three years later, that legislation has proven prescient. Today there are reports nationwide that the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is taking advantage of the quarantines to raid and terrorize families. [3]
On Tuesday, March 17th, Faith Leaders called on the State Legislature to pass the so-called the Maryland Trust Act, saying “[our] ethical and theological commitments compel us to publicly call for our legislators to act boldly and courageously to protect marginalized community members whose safety is our collective responsibility, especially now during the COVID-19 crisis.”[4]
While the TRUST Act would help protect our communities during these times of uncertainty by ensuring those who are sick come forward to seek treatment, we think the continued cooperation of Howard County’s jail with ICE endangers detainees and their families alike by helping create a path of least resistance for ICE’s continued raids. If ICE has a place to detain immigrants it will continue its raids.
Until now, your administration has refused to cut ties with ICE and stated that the jail “only accepts ICE detainees who “pose a public safety threat,” even though immigrants who are undocumented but present no danger to the community have been locked up.[5]
Just last month, you doubled down and gave an explanation that could have given by Alan Kittleman when he vetoed CB9. “A lot of times the things we hear are not actually the case. We have one of the best run detention centers in the nation. The detention centers actually keep people safe. We have no control over referral immigration laws. People who want to have access to their loved ones who are detained want to have local access and If we were cancel the contracts ICE would still operate, however they would be housed in less well run detention centers that are farther away where people might not even be able to see their loved ones.” [6]
While the moral imperative should be sufficient to cut ties with ICE, the current public health and safety imperative should lead to decisive action. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit to release “detainees who are elderly or have underlying health conditions” from detention centers. [7]
Introducing new detainees could also bring the Coronavirus into the prison if it is not already present. Former detainees say that medical care was severely insufficient even without the considerations of the global pandemic. We are facing the prospect that hundreds of innocent and healthy men will become infected and may die due to lack of medical treatment. [8]
I urge you to reconsider your position and the detention center’s cooperation with ICE. We ask you to immediately stop all new admissions to the ICE Detention Center, and begin releasing detainees. I ask you to immediately end all contracts with ICE. This is no longer a moral issue. It is a public health one.
References
[1] https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-sanctuary-county-proposal-0105-20161229-story.html
[2] https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-sanctuary-county-kittleman-0112-20170105-story.html
[3] https://www.click2houston.com/news/texas/2020/03/13/immigrant-rights-groups-call-on-ice-to-halt-raids-during-coronavirus-outbreak/
[4] https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020/03/17/letter-faith-leaders-call-on-legislature-to-pass-sanctuary-bill-before-ending-session/?fbclid=IwAR2imq6syT1YSqe2VKjvtNqbj22Lh1PW5w1YI_W9Xd-uBg1rmGdIgGP51z0
[5] https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/maryland-counties-face-pressure-to-cut-ties-with-ice/2020/02/06/e54b75ea-46a5-11ea-bc78-8a18f7afcee7_story.html
[6] https://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2020-05-08/the-politics-hour-may-8-2020
[7] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-16/ice-must-free-detainees-at-risk-for-virus-aclu-demands-in-suit?fbclid=IwAR0auMkudd76LzdgL_Iz4dkVQbpg5yOjgPfKYvnLakmOOPSf1WMXGaHTPh8
[8] https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/wisconsin-sheriff-ice-detainees-coronavirus?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc