City Represents ALL Residents
Extra Voices is FredEx's opinion section. Alderman Michael O'Connor is a 2017 candidate for Frederick City mayor.
The City of Frederick in 2017 is far different than the city of my youth. In part, that's because we've gotten bigger, but it's also because of the rich diversity of the families that have come to Frederick and transformed it, just as they are transforming Maryland and the U.S. These families have brought so much to Frederick — a reliable, hard-working workforce, increased economic opportunities for our residents, and a richer cultural experience for our children in our schools and for our community.
It was my honor to celebrate these contributions at recent marches in downtown Frederick in support of immigrants and on the west side in solidarity with our Muslim neighbors.
What was clear is that this community's outpouring of support for our rich ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity will continue despite the shadow being cast by the new Administration's misguided policies regarding immigration.
In response to concerns expressed by many in the community, I, along with most my colleagues on the Board of Alderman, have voiced support for a conversation about how best to articulate continuing support for that diversity and to assuage any fears.The concern, which I share, is that immigrants and minorities, regardless of status, should not have to endure suspicion or harassment because of the way they dress, how they speak, the way they worship, or their country of origin.
This approach is best articulated by the activities of the Frederick Police Department, which takes its community policing responsibilities seriously. Contained in General Orders 570 and 218 (www.cityoffrederick.com/922/General-Orders), the simplified policy in place for more than a decade is that officers will not inquire about the immigration status of those they encounter. What our police understand is that law enforcement and protecting the community requires trust, and trust cannot be won, especially in neighborhoods where the number of non-native English speakers is highest, when people are afraid to speak to the police.
The success of this approach is born out by data (actual facts!), that shows, despite a small increase in 2016 (+0.3%), that the number of Part 1 crimes, as reported to the FBI, remains near the 25-year low and has been steadily falling for two decades (www.cityoffrederick.com/101/Crime). And by the way, since 1990 the City's population has risen from about 40,000 to nearly 70,000 residents. It is an approach that should guide the way other City services are rendered, from Parks and Recreation programs to the Frederick Community Action Agency.
Opponents frame the discussion as inappropriate support for undocumented immigrants decrying the moniker, Sanctuary City, for which a consistent and generally accepted definition does not exist. But any discussion on a resolution relating to how we welcome immigrants in Frederick would rightly be based on existing policy and practice and the clear beneficial impacts, regardless of what it’s called.
According to Title 8 of the US Code, the simple act of being in the United States without appropriate documentation, in and of itself, is the federal equivalent of parking on an expired meter. Absent significant other mitigating factors, such an infraction should never result in an arrest or detention. So, the immigration enforcement focus should be on those mitigating factors. That was the approach endorsed generally by the Obama administration, an approach now ironically cited as the basis for more aggressive efforts towards all undocumented immigrants.
There is broad agreement that the immigration laws of this country need revision. I hope that can become a starting point for unity. In the meantime, enforcement of federal immigration law is not the purview of the City of Frederick, nor should it be. As an elected City official, I will continue to represent all our residents who live here, work here, raise their children here, and pay taxes here. And we will move Frederick forward together!
