Several Montgomery County, Maryland, leaders have denounced a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing immigration officials to deny green cards to legal immigrants over their use of public benefits.
“We are here on behalf of so many families that are under attack,” Democratic Council member Gabe Albornoz said during news conference Tuesday, choking up after telling the story of how his parents came to the U.S.
“This creates a public health crisis for all of us, when local community residents don’t access the very basic care to ensure the safety, security and health of their families,” Albornoz said, adding that he expected an economic impact from the court’s decision to allow the new rules as well.
Council member Nancy Navarro, a Democrat, suggested the new green card rule could even worsen the spread of the new coronavirus.
Dr. Raymond Crowel, director of the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, said the agency is “open for business to all Montgomery County residents.”
Albornoz and Navarro are the lead sponsors of a council resolution introduced Tuesday, calling for Congress to adopt comprehensive immigration reform and oppose any federal regulatory change that would negatively affect immigrants.
The resolution is set to be voted on Feb. 11.
