You're watching Open Agenda. Here's our
host, Joe White.
>> Welcome to this special edition of Open
Agenda. So, we've just received a press
release from the executive's office
stating that she has signed aou with the
sheriff of Wakamako County for the level
three ICE enforcement. In the studio
with me is Dr. Joe Venosa from Salsbury.
Thank you.
>> Thank you. So, this comes as a surprise
because just two days ago, we heard the
sheriff discuss publicly that he is does
not have the manpower to to to do this
yet. And at the county council meeting
on Tuesday, September 2nd, this was not
as a work session. This was not up for
discussion except in public comments.
>> Correct. It's very interesting,
peculiar, and from my perspective,
alarming that this happened. This is a
clear escalation. The question is why
was the escalation done? Um, as you've
said, Sheriff Mike Lewis on Tuesday, I
believe Tuesday evening and I guess
Monday morning if you were watching the
news said publicly that he did not even
have the manpower to fulfill uh most of
the enforcement mechanisms that such an
agreement would entail um and that they
were still weeks away anyway from sort
of concretizing plans. Now, keep in mind
the sheriff's office has also been
unable to fulfill the SRO needs that our
schools have. And why that's important
for
>> the school resource officers.
>> The school resource officers. And why I
bring that up is because yesterday,
September 3rd, right, there was an
incident at Parkside where an
18-year-old brought a a loaded handgun
to school. So, my point is we clearly
have a law enforcement shortage, which
is a big problem. Yeah,
>> we clearly have other resource issues
and the executive seemingly unilaterally
issues this announcement
>> now and we have not heard since the
press release come out from the sheriff.
>> No,
>> we we have no press release from the
sheriff that there's been no news
coverage from the sheriff's perspective.
>> Correct.
>> But just as recently as Wednesday
evening, president of the council John
Cannon was on there stating that there
is a lot of support for level one.
>> Correct. which is the jail enforcement
mode, which basically means, and we
covered this on our show earlier in the
week,
>> that if if an illegal uh immigrant is
captured who has a warrant, that they
will hold them in our detention center,
>> right?
>> Pending their processing for their
crime, not the crime, not of illegal
immigration. Right
>> now, we're actually we're going to go
out and and and find these. We're going
to take officers out of the community
effectively or at least out of local
issues and making them now it would seem
>> agents or extensions of ICE and we're
going to be paying for it as well is my
understanding
>> and we talked about it that in our show.
We don't understand the funding model
behind this and some counties as Trish
Melvin pointed out have already opted
back out after realizing how much it
costs.
>> And it's interesting that the executive
failed to at least put that caveat of
the funding apparatus in her
announcement.
>> Yeah. Now, and and part of what you just
said is a little conjecture only because
you don't know and you don't know
because there's not been a public work
session.
>> Nope.
>> There's not been any substantial comment
from the county council.
>> We have asked the the entire council for
their their feedback, their comment.
>> Their their collective response has been
this ball is not in their court,
>> right? that this is really between the
executive and the sheriff to bring to
them for anou that would be above 365
days.
>> That would be the ideal from the
council's perspective. And again, I
think you and I have a a pretty big
disagreement about the nature of the
287G program. But I think we both agree
that if it is going to happen, it should
involve all branches of government.
>> Yeah. Listen, in full disclosure, I'm
I'm comfortable with level one, the jail
enforcement mode. Um, I do believe
there's lots of folks who are, but at
the same time, I think that the folks
who were against this, and and we saw
that at the county council meeting
during public comments
>> on Tuesday,
>> that there were more folks who came
there to to just basically say they're
not in favor of any of this. Now,
>> right,
>> I wasn't going to be there to argue with
them. Yeah. But at the same time, like
that that discourse should happen in a
public forum.
>> It should. And I think even most of
those folks, even if I and and again
from my own perspective, I don't think I
quite agree with all of some of the
things that they said, but I think they
would agree with us in that if it is
going to happen, it should be above
board in that the county council has a
role in that process.
>> So what if what do you think is going to
happen if we find out thisou is actually
signed for above a year? Now I say that
>> I know that the executive is not
supposed to sign ex uus for more than a
year
>> but she has not followed the rules
consistently in almost three years in
office. Yeah.
>> So we we can't assume that she's even
following the rules.
>> No.
>> But who's accountable to us? Is it the
sheriff? Is it the council? Is it the
executive?
>> Well, it's all three realistically, but
the bulk of this particular issue lies
on the executive because it's her office
that is initiating it. Now, obviously, I
would argue that the sheriff's office
has a major role in this in terms of
both outreach and process because they
are the ones who are going to be doing
the work, so to speak. But in my
opinion, as much as I tend to blame the
executive for a lot that has gone wrong
in this county with I think a lot of
documentation that we've shown, um this
is something that the council has to
either speak up on or or get some
awareness of. I have to say I'm
disappointed in a few council members
who might say certain things broadly
about immigration but then don't sort of
take the initiative of their local
office in actually, you know, being
proactive to figure out what's going on.
I mean, I can tell you right now that
there are certain council members
sitting on the county council at this
moment who found out after we did.
>> Yeah.
>> Citizens.
>> Yeah, that that was definitely the case
this morning. and and and and in and in
all transparency, this press release was
simultaneously
broadcast on Eastern Shore undercover,
who also has anou that at times has not
been legal and valid. Y
>> uh even Sheriff Lewis fought that
against the crypted radios. And now
we're now we're faced with anotherou
without public engagement. And this is,
I would argue, much more impactful
because now we're going to be dealing
with theoretically, assuming all this is
true, the fact that we have a major
escalation of uh of local police role in
immigration enforcement happening
without any public oversight.
>> Okay,
>> that's not I don't care whether you're
liberal, conservative, moderate,
whatever. I when there is not public
oversight and transparency over the
process, it doesn't end well for anyone.
>> I'm a conservative. You're you're much
more on the liberal side. You're worried
about the social issues.
>> I'm worried about the cost.
>> I am worried about the cost, too.
>> But but I'm saying for this is not about
political party. This is not about
whether or not you think illegal
immigration should be enforced or not.
>> Uh you and I don't sit on the same the
same side there. But at the end of the
day,
>> lots of citizens showed up Tuesday night
to voice their concern.
>> Their government has ignored them
>> and and for that
>> I I think that they're uh that that
there should be an answer to that.
>> Couldn't agree more. So, let's follow up
with this next week.
>> Certainly.
>> All right. We're going to now play all
of the public comments from Tuesday
night, including the ones that would be
for this, against it, or neutral, so
that you have a chance to watch exactly
what happened Tuesday night. Thanks for
watching this episode of Open Agenda.
We'll be back next week.
>> Thank you very much. At this time, we
open the floor for public comments. Uh
we'd like to entertain that uh if you
have any comments you'd like to make,
come to the podium, please state your
name, your county of residence, and your
concerns. I would ask you to make sure
you keep in mind there's the
three-minute limitation. And if you have
some some who have already made comments
in reference to what you have what you
choose to talk about uh as brief as
possible so that we can be able to get
out at a at a good time for everybody.
Thank you.
>> Good evening, Joanosa Salsbury. Uh
before I begin, just uh there's a few
teachers in the room and today is the
>> first day back for most of the students.
So uh after a whole day with kids, they
decided to come here
>> to be with you. So get them coffee,
Dunkin Donuts, maybe something stronger,
whatever. But um uh first, okay, good,
the bad, and the ugly. The good. Um I
first want to just give a shout out to
Councilman Merritt and Operation We
Care. Uh my son and I were uh kindly
invited to the uh Salsbury uh excuse me,
the Maryland State Police Aviation
Station the other day to see a
demonstration. And apart from it being a
really cool thing for my son to see a
helicopter, uh I actually learned quite
a bit um about the funding mechanism
that keeps that vital service to our
rural communities functioning. I don't
think the public knows just how
important that state police medevac
helicopter is. It is amazing in terms of
what it does and it's to my knowledge
according to the um trooper who and I
talked said that it was entirely funded
through uh state DMV fees. So it's an
actually it's a free at the point of use
service that we desperately need. So as
we talk about budget issues, it's good
to keep that in mind because that's
always in danger of being cut. So just
FYI.
Okay. Um a lot of issues are happening.
Um I I believe some people here are
going to talk more in depth about the
issue of ICE uh cooperation and the 287G
program. Um I just want to bring to
people's attention one important part of
that aspect. um is that it could very
well be a situation in which the council
actually may have no role in that
because as it stands the county
executive still has quite extensive
power to sign anou with the sheriff's
office to bypass the council uh and
engage in any uh agreement. Now, I am
personally against the 287G program in
the sense of I don't believe we should
uh engage in it, not only for moral
reasons, but for fiscal reasons.
Because, as I found out today, when we
engage in that program, that puts us on
the hook as local taxpayers to reimburse
the feds. It's not the other way around.
All the money that is going to be
required for officers to be pulled off
the road to go to training in other
places, that comes out of us, not from
the federal government. That's my
understanding. So from a fiscal
perspective, we actually stand to lose
quite a bit of money if that were to
happen. However, if it does happen and
the council does perhaps um sort of see
that coming, I would hope that the
executive would actually include the
council in any legislation and any
agreement. That way at least citizens
can come like this and voice their
concerns because the council is the only
form in our county to address these
issues. Real quick, I apologize. Um,
it's my understanding also that as of
today, County Executive Gerardano has
signed a rental agreement with Nick
Simpson, uh, who is currently in
litigation against, uh, us, the city of
Salsbury at Lot 10. So, the developer
who is suing the city is now getting
money from us at the county to have
county employees park. Now, I don't know
if you're aware of that, but that was
made u relevant to me earlier today if
you read the district court filings. So
once again, there is a lack of
accountability and transparency from the
executive office and citizens cannot go
to that office. So that's happening
right now with your tax money. Thank
you.
>> Thank you.
I did email you all a copy, but just
gave you your own print. You can save
your paper. I'm contributing to the
county budget. Bottom line.
Thank you.
So, good evening everyone. My name is
Monica Brooks and I am president of
Wakamako County NAACP. Um, while I do
have a couple things to talk about, I'm
going to do one and, um, we are going to
discuss from our organization another,
but um, so I'm going to be talking
specifically about um, this liquor
licensing situation that's coming up in
open session.
Um, as NAACP Wakamo County, we must make
clear our responsibility to the
communities we serve. Somehow, despite
support, minimal support from the c from
the community, this topic keeps rearing
its ugly head of intentions. As we have
stated before, we will not support
greater expansion of liquor licensings
throughout this county. We will also not
support removing the petition of support
requirement for property owners where
the premises to be licensed are located.
First, the expansion of liquor licenses
will only further harm in very than the
very communities that are already most
vulnerable across this country and
including here in Wakcomo County. Black
and brown communities are
disproportionately impacted by alcohol
outlet density. The effects are well
documented. Increased liquor access is
strongly linked to higher rates of
violence, crime, disorderly conduct in
neighborhoods. Public health studies
have shown liquor stores in certain
neighborhoods correlate to higher rates
of alcohol-related disease, addiction,
premature births, and families already
struggling with poverty and limited s
resources are often the ones forced to
live closest to areas saturated with
alcohol um facilities. And let's
remember that 65% of our kids here in
Wakamako County, our school-aged kids
are living in poverty.
We cannot ignore that these harms are
concentrated in communities of color.
What may appear as simple business
expansion translates to increased
funerals, broken homes, and cycles of
trauma. Second, it is deeply concerning,
actually absurd, to remove the
requirement that property owners and
surrounding neighborhoods have little
voice to the to petition support in
regards to what happens around them.
Eliminating their voice strips away a
critical safeguard of community
accountability. Removing this
requirement silences residents,
particularly in marginalized community
who already struggle to be heard in
policy decisions. your decisions bear
confusion as you and this is not just
you um as you just released funding and
this was for me saying to the county
executive you just released funding to
help students thrive and now you want to
tear down the communities in which they
live. So for these reasons, we urge and
encourage the reject both of the
expansion of the liquor licensing and
the removal of this petition of support
requirement. Our communities deserve
policies that uplift health, safety, and
stability, not ones that further exploit
them. Thank you.
>> Thank you, M. Brooks.
Joe Skipfino Salisbury. Uh I just want
to touch what Mr. Venosa touched on the
uh uh the rumor about this 287G
uh that Lcomiggo County is considering
participation in. Um, when I heard about
the rumor, I did a little research and I
discovered that on the congressional
website, it says to participate in the
program, LEAs must contact their local
law, their local ICE enforcement and
removal office and apply.
So, they can't just come in and say,
"You're going to do this
immigration. I can't do justice to the
immigration issue in in 3 minutes." Um,
if ICE comes here with a a valid arrest
warrant for a criminal, it shouldn't be
here. By all means, we should cooperate.
But any other issue to do with their
mission is their job. And again, uh, I
didn't know about the cost to the county
uh, that Mr. Venosa identified. That
would be another reason um, to not not
participate.
Um and and what I would lastly say on
behalf of the immigrants who are being
vilified,
um I don't think anybody in this room
would want to leave their home where
they grew up uh for any any light
reason. But for decades, the federal
government of the United States has
engaged in regime change in a lot of
these countries that have destroyed
economies, supported dictators and
strong men that have ruined um these
societies. These are desperate people
that are coming here. Um and again, if I
was in their position, I would be doing
the same thing. Thank you.
Good evening, council members. My name
is Samuel Henry. I'm the first vice
president of the Wcomo County branch of
the NAACP. I am here on behalf of the
NAACP. Our organization has always stood
in solidarity with immigrant communities
because immigration, immigrant rights
are civil rights and civil rights are
human rights. The 287G program is not
simply about immigration enforcement. It
is about racial profiling. While
supporters may argue that it only
affects people who we arrest who are
arrested, we know the reality. Black and
brown people are disproportionately
stopped, detained, and arrested. Often
not for legitimate reasons, but because
of bias and policing. That means this
program will magnify existing
inequalities and harm our communities.
We also have a moral responsibility.
Protecting our immigrant neighbors is
not only right, it strengthens all of
us. As Fain Liu HR said, nobody's free
until everybody's free. And let us be
clear, law enforcement power is never
neutral. We see even today how the
president of the United States is
deploying the National Guard in
Washington DC using the machinery of law
enforcement as a weapon. 287G comes from
that same playbook, putting political
fear above community trust. That is why
we must ask hard questions. Has a
sheriff's office earned the public's
confidence? Can we truly say our
detention center upholds dignity and
justice? Until we can answer yes, giving
this agency greater power over
immigration is not only reckless, it is
dangerous. The NAACP urges this council
to reject 287G.
Choose unity over division. Choose
fairness over fear. Because when justice
is denied to any one of us, the freedom
of all of us is at risk. Thank you.
Thank you.
>> Hi, my name is Donna Haddock and I would
like to address the immigration that's
going here in Wakcoma County. If you
guys allow our sheriff's department to
support ICE, I firsthand saw my dear
friend that's been here for 37
years get drugged out of his vehicle,
assaulted,
flown out in the middle of the night to
Texas to stand in front of a judge and
have that judge ask why that man was
standing in front of him because he was
in the system get his green card.
$10,000 later for this man to give back.
Three weeks later, meanwhile, his wife,
his four American-born children and his
daughter that is white in color that was
born in the United States, he was
allowed to adopt here in the state of
Maryland.
And this man has to go to a hearing in
October to decide whether or not he can
con continue to keep his daughter
because if he gets deported, the
American child that got adopted by this
man may be forced to stay here in the
United States to only be put up for
adoption again.
We need to stop this. These men are
getting detained. Their women are afraid
to go to food pantries because ICE is
standing behind the food pantry signs.
Their kids are starving and eating beans
and rice because we are detaining their
husbands. The one household person that
works and pays the bills. I have
pictures of ICE standing behind the food
pantry line because I followed them
after I watched them over and over and
over snatch innocent people that have
never had a criminal anything. not a
speeding ticket.
>> I've got every folder of immigrants that
have come to me that have paid their
taxes here in the United States of
America. And the funny thing is when we
stood here this morning or this
afternoon and we did the Lord's prayer,
I'm pretty sure it said our nation under
God.
We cannot continue to do this to our
citizens that are putting back into our
community or we are all going to have
nothing when it's over.
>> Good afternoon. Um my name is Kenson
Raymond and I work for a local nonprofit
called WLC Immigration Services. We're a
nonprofit that legally assists
immigrants in uh the field of
immigration. So I am actually an
immigrant. I'm actually from Haiti. So
I've been here for roughly 27 years. So
I am now a proud US citizen as well. Um
and this immigrant that we were talking
about, I am one of them. I am one that
contribute to the economy here in the US
since I've been here. I am now 37 years
old, but I was I came here when I was
11. So I know the struggle and we have,
you know, proud immigrants that are
working hard and a lot of business, you
know, men and women that are immigrants.
So I truly hope that you guys really
look into this 287g to know how much is
really destroying families. Um it's
tearing people apart. Um we all have a
role to play. So I just ask that you
really look into it and you play your
roles, you know. um I have to deal with
these families on a daily base, you
know, to reach out to ICE. So, currently
I'm able to help as much as but on a
limited base, you know, when it comes to
like the the court system with
immigration, you know, but these
families don't have the money to waste.
So, and we don't have the money as
taxpayers to waste as well. So, I would
ask that you truly look into this and
not just uh believe what you heard out
there. So the political uh um agenda is
just not right. Okay. Thank you.
>> My name is Paula D. Rosa. I am from
WCOMo County and I am here to talk about
the 287G.
Um, just to remind you that the
community is made of diverse neighbors
sharing ideas and I've heard this
council on many times ask how do we
attract other people here?
How will we be able to do that when they
learn we have signed something saying if
you come here, we're taking you. Our law
enforcement, not you guys. Exclusion is
not welcoming. The 287g agreement has
not received good reviews anywhere.
So you will send an undeniable message
if it is passed. Please say no to any
287
agreement. Thank you for your time.
I have 10 copies.
I'm passing out a handout and I have
some extras for the folks in here as
well. Uh, Patricia Melvin, Wakcomo
County, um, district two right now and I
think I will be in district seven in the
future. Mhm.
>> Uh, this handout contains information
from primary sources. Um, and I've noted
them on the handout, specifically
ice.gov
and congress.gov.
So, in the interest of saving time,
please read the, you know, um, it's some
highlights and and you can go back to
these websites and confirm that the
information is there. But I'm going to
go to page two,
the second bullet point
describing that uh ICE does cover the
cost of training the deputized officers.
But the important part is state and
local governments shoulder the majority
of costs associated with a 287G
agreement.
Some local enforcement agencies consider
the program to be too costly and do not
participate, do not renew their
agreements or have terminated them
early.
Local authorities are responsible the
categories that the local authority the
county would be responsible for is
roughly two groups. Um the training
which ICE does cover the cost of
training. What that means is they're
have an instructor.
So the county will pay
for the travel to Brunswick, Georgia. Uh
the housing, the pdiums during the
training and their salaries while
they're gone from Wakcomo County.
Um so there's the training uh bucket
which is a onetime cost per person
maybe. Um, but then there's the ongoing
cost of which we shoulder 100% of the
hours and overtime. Well, the idea is
that the work with ICE would be overtime
and that we would pay the overtime.
So again, that training takes place at
the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center in near Brunswick, Georgia.
So, uh, based on congress.gov, a number
of counties have terminated their
agreements. They entered in these
agreements and they terminated them.
There's a list of them on page three.
Uh, Prince William County, Virginia,
ended a decade long agreement due to the
effect on the local budget, daily
operating costs, and maintenance fees.
Costs associated with the program were
paid for with cuts to local police and
fire departments.
Prince William County Police Chief Barry
Barnard criticized the 287 agreement,
stating that he has seen no data that
there is a direct cause of any
measurable crime reduction in Prince
William County. He also felt it damaged
the department's ability to relate with
the community and um and he and and the
county with Prince County delegate said
we need to use our local dollars to fix
our own problems. We have a crime
problem in Wamo County. We have it's
higher than the state average and
national average. I really don't want to
see our police officers stretched so
thin because the 289 program does not
offer any money for hours or or
overtime. In addition, we pay
administrative supply, security
equipment, don't know what that is.
And ongoing expenses. Thank
[Music]
>> Good evening everyone. Uh I'm Dr. John
Filogen and uh representing Kata Farm
worker support committee and uh I also
represent all the immigrants here. Um
we work with uh
um almost all the immigrants u but
basically um Haitians and uh Hispanic.
So um I'm here to support all my fellow
um brothers and sisters about the 287g.
Um
first uh I want to say that um at the
beginning uh everybody here heard that
it was about uh criminals uh immigrants
but um it's it's a lie. We have a lot of
examples.
um you know that most than I. So uh it's
not about criminals. It's not about um
people who commit um great felonies.
they can stop you for um stop light and
then so I mean basically what I I mean
is that the 287g um who uh want that um
the local police to uh collaborate with
ICE it's going to be a huge mess here in
Wcomo County so I want the committee um
here and everybody who can support um in
any way that they can to help so that
this uh cannot
uh happen in Wakcomo County. And um I
want to say that uh as my brother
already said it, we immigrants, we pay
taxes, we help in uh a lot of uh things
for the economy here in uh Wamiko
County. And if you can notice in street
we have a beautiful clinic right there
and you know how it street was before.
So with uh the immigrants coming here so
that help a lot. So you can see the
difference. Uh I want to say that us as
immigrants we help in a lot of field
here and
either
um medical field, businesses and uh and
everything in schools all that. So I
think that we're not just criminals. We
are here to help and we are here because
something um as uh my friend said
earlier something put us outside of our
countries like uh I I've heard that they
said my my country I'm from Haiti they
said Haiti is good right now and they
stopped TPS the temporary property
status but they put Haiti they b Haiti
uh so that citizens American citizen
cannot travel over there. So I want you
to understand all those and um against
287G. Thank you very much.
[Applause]
Hi everyone.
All right. Good evening council members.
My name is Lana Foley. I'm a Wakamo
resident and taxpayer. Thank you for
letting me speak tonight. in reference
to the WBOC article that was posted on
their website July 25th, 2025 regarding
a potential agreement between the United
States Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, otherwise known as ICE, and
Wakamo County. I am looking to clear up
any community misconceptions
that Eastern Shore Undercover has
recently alleged in their blog post.
With that said, I would like to ask six
short yes or no questions. Is that
permissible?
>> Wouldn't answer them, but you can
continue. Thank you.
>> Okay.
I find that these are important to ask
because in this article
it is saying that Lewis said he has
filed paperwork with ICE and spoken with
the agency over the phone and via email,
but any deal is weeks. Again, this was
posted July 25th, possibly even months
away from being completed. So, my
questions are
um Sheriff Lewis contacted the United
States immigration and in uh enforcement
regarding entering to into a potential
partnership. That was a yes or no
question. Has a deal been struck for
Wakamako County to participate in 287G
or any other programs with ICE? Again,
yes or no question. Has Sheriff Lewis
explored the idea for the Wakamako
County Sheriff's Office to assist ICE
once someone is arrested on local
charges? Yes or no answer. Is it your
understanding that the 287g jail model
would allow agencies in this case the
Wakam Cook County Sheriff's Office to
work with ICE in those efforts?
Is it your understanding that any
agreement with ICE would require a
memorandum of understanding
between the Wakamako County Sheriff's
Office, the Wakamako County Jail and
either the Wakamako County Council or
the Wakamako County Executive?
Is it your understanding that county
council or county executive Gordono
offered her support and indicated she
would follow the lead of Sheriff Lewis?
also that County Council President John
Cannon also indicated he was on board
and would follow Sheriff Lewis.
Thank you again for your time.
>> Thanks for
Mr. Foley. Under under public comments,
it's usually just comments. There's not
not a debate. There's not an engagement
in the process. I'm not really crazy
about it, but that's how it is. Uh but
if you would give us your information,
if you give it to Miss Hurley when you
leave and we'll make sure that all the
questions are answered, not by the
council, but uh probably by Sheriff
Lewis as well. Okay. Thank you.
>> Any other comments?
>> Good evening. Jim Atkins, Wakcomo
County. Uh just want to run through a
hodgepodge of things tonight that have
been going on. Uh, I want to talk about
commissions and committees as we talked
about the water and sewer. Uh,
all I'll say concerning that and
committees and working with the county
executive is look at the environmental
trust committee in this county and their
recommendations to the executive and
their recommendations are not followed.
So why do we think that the sanitary
commission recommendations would be
followed?
Secondly, ethics commission uh having a
hard time finding a lawyer who wants to
get in the middle of uh of these
subjects. I realize legislation was just
recently passed concerning this and
getting an outside attorney, but maybe
we need to revisit it and possibly uh
work with the surrounding counties to
have surrounding counties hear our
ethics complaints for this county and
let them make a decision because uh I
filed an FX complaint. We're approaching
3 months but we don't have an attorney.
So, how many more times is this ethics
violation going to continue until we get
an attorney
uh liquor legislation? Not going to get
into it other than and I have uh fussed
at the council previously about this
about open work sessions. Uh
the community either has to come up here
prior to the open work session and
comment about something that they
believe or think but they don't know
what's going to be addressed or two
weeks from now
they come to a public comment and make a
comment about something that was
discussed two weeks ago and more than
likely has already been decided.
So we we need something to happen with
these work sessions where the community
can be involved in these work sessions.
We don't need more liquor stores.
We don't uh we don't need to take them
away from the restaurants.
We don't need to be uh allowing golf
courses to sell liquor at 7:00 a.m. in
the morning.
Uh it it's just not necessary. We we've
gotten this far and this long without
doing this. So, so why get into it now?
And there's a lot of comments about
287G.
Uh, it's it's a very costly program for
the county if the county decides to get
into it.
Uh, but all I can tell you is based off
the
ICE website this morning, contrary to
comments, the sheriff has not applied
for this program. According to the
United States government, there's been
no application received from Wakcomo
County. Thank you.
>> Hello, my name is Allison Grace. Um, I
live in Wakcomo County.
Um, I would like to speak on 287G as
well. I implore the council to reject
any 287g agreement and I first want to
thank everyone who has spoken on this
tonight. Um it's an incredibly important
issue.
It said that the program enhances public
safety and aims to increase community
security.
Uh I say safety and security for whom? I
personally will not feel safer if my
local law enforcement is beholden to
another agency like ICE. The immigrant
community, including those who are here
legally, will not feel safer for fear of
being racially profiled by mass,
potentially untrained ICE agents. And
they certainly won't feel safer
reporting a crime to their local police
department.
The 287G program supposedly encourages
collaboration between federal, state,
and local agencies, which translates to
me as all territories are by default
mandated to act in accordance with
federal orders from above.
The federal government should not be
involved in micromanaging how local law
enforcement
um allocates their time, money,
especially and resources.
This program also diverts local law
enforcement from their primary duties,
which could easily lead to errors and
abuse in identifying immigrants and
general neglect of the community abroad.
In short, will I feel safer if 287G is
passed? No, I will not. Will the
community be safer? No. Thank you for
your time.
I hear the public comment.
>> My name is Julia Bellamy. I live in
Wcomamico County. Um the two con
concerns I have about 287G are that why
Kamako County would lose control over
um or would be giving control to the
federal government in two cases
specifically. One is that when I saw
that the Wakcomo County could not talk
to the media
without having two different
uh approvals within ICE. So we could not
release any media information without
having approval from two different
departments in ICE. And the other was
that um any complaints
as to what was going on in I guess Wcomo
County's jail would be handled
exclusively by ICE and by the federal
government. And that concerned me. So
that's what I wanted to share with you
tonight.
[Music]
[Applause]
Good evening. My name is Debbie Krauss.
I'm from BY Valve in Wcomakico County.
And I just want to say it was a great
first day of school for my kids. And
that, you know, and I was a first grade
teacher for 34 years at Chipman over on
Lake Street. My heart's there. I
want to say also at Westside, we're
getting ready to have a baby a state
park down there. I know there was a lot
of um controversy from the first
meeting, but I want you to know that
when you come down again in September,
there's going to be a big pow-wow again
for the state park that um there'll be a
lot of positive feedback because there
were other community members that are
very much for the state park. So that
was another thing. The 287g
I have cried every night about what's
going on with ICE. It's not right. It's
horrible seeing children bust to other
countries. It's horrible. And it's not a
nice arrest either. It's a group of men
attacking people,
>> dragging children away from their
parents in front of them.
>> It's not right. We don't want that here.
We are a loving community and we do not
need to see that stuff here. There needs
to be the work needs to be done at the
im immigration courts allowing people
that have been here for 30 years to be
here. I know that's not your council,
but I just wanted to say that. So, thank
you for your time.
I know what I'm doing, man.
