Town Hall Meeting Dominated By Talks of Illegal Immigration and Rent Control
By Silver Springer • Jul 20th, 2007 • Category: Government and Politics
Illegal immigration and rent control dominated the Town Hall Meeting with County Executive Isiah Leggett at the
Development and related issues like the Inter County Connector took a back seat to audience commentary over recent illegal immigrant raids in Wheaton by ICE and the spiking rents in apartment complexes all over the County.
After a brief introductory speech, County Executive Leggett got right to it and began taking questions from the audience.
Unauthorized Immigrants
The highlight moment of the meeting came from one Germantown resident who decreed the County government support for Day Labor Centers across the County,
“I’d like to express my objection to the County supported and funded Day Labor Centers, It is wrong for the County to provide non-emergency social services with tax payer money to illegal immigrants and it is right for the police to question and detain anybody who they feel is here illegally and hand them over to the federal authorities…people who are here legally are our friends but those who are here illegally simply do not belong.â€
The audience member included his objection to Casa of Maryland’s involvement in managing the Day Labor Centers that illegal immigrants frequent and holding them responsible for crime in the area, pointing to the raid at the Mexican restaurant, El Pollo Rico in
Leggett, respecting the objection of the audience member reiterated his stance on the decision to open a third Day Labor Center in the County, on
“My support of the Day labor Center is a support that I‘m not going reverse.â€
Cheers in support of illegal immigrants drowned out those that were against it.
Leggett said that he does not believe the County should devote police resources towards such an issue and follow what he called draconian laws that were recently passed in Prince William County, Va, that targets illegal immigrants.
Leggett said the ICE raid in Wheaton was the result of a year of planning and thousands of dollars by the federal division which lead up to the incident where $7million in laundering money and undocumented workers were seized and detained in El Pollo Rico.
Ultimately, Leggett believed illegal immigration concerns are a national issue to be taken up by the federal government.
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What about discussions pertaining to rent control? Affordable housing is a FAR BIGGER issue than illegal immigration inside Montgomery County.
Read more about Ike Leggett’s Town Hall Meeting: check out Just Up The Pike.
Get the scoop on Leggett’s rent control ideas — plus cool videos — from The Silver Spring Penguin.
No, go to MY blog
No silly, my blog is the best
Go to http://www.IHateYuppiesinSS.com. D’oh…that blog is still in the planning stages.
Some day I will have the BEST Silver Spring blog in town. Ooooooh…some day!
It is too bad that our county executive and local leaders do not seem to understand that they can actually make a difference in the immigration debate. It is very typical of the county government to let the federal government take care of the issue. They really should understand the issue and how to solve it better than our federal government.
I would be interested to hear about the rent issue in the county as well. I just got my rent renewal notice and the county recommends a 6% raise in my rent. I am not sure where in the hell they get their numbers from but current inflation is not even that high. The county needs to get better rental (inflation) figures and give the county residents a better deal. It is bad enough that the state gives more power to the rental company and not the residents.
Comment by IHateYuppies
Made Friday, 20 of July , 2007 at 9:36 am
What about discussions pertaining to rent control?
RE: What do you care, You don’t live in Maryland……………..
IHateYuppies: Affordable housing is a FAR BIGGER issue than illegal immigration inside Montgomery County.
RE: Yeah just like a True Maryland hating Virginian to distract Maryland Tax Payers from the main issues…. Just as long as the Illegal Immigrants don’t take over your region of Northern Virginia you won’t be satisfied until the Entire State of Maryland becomes a Third World Welfare State full of Illegal Mexican-Central American Immigrants while your region of Northern Virginia continues to be the so-called SiliCON Valley of the East Coast, but that won’t last too long…………..
Comment by IHateYuppies
Made Friday, 20 of July , 2007 at 12:21 pm
Go to http://www.IHateYuppiesinSS.com. D’oh…that blog is still in the planning stages.
Some day I will have the BEST Silver Spring blog in town. Ooooooh…some day!
RE: Did you take your Prozac?????????????
I think this “Ted” person should have a blog. Everything would be covered from the viewpoint of one scrappy blog-comment poster determined to remake suburban Maryland in Northern Virgnia’s image - one scathing, poorly punctuated, randomly capitalized comment-diatribe at a time!
Or maybe it should be a musical. Either way.
Raise the rates - if you want affordable go to PG County and increase the popularity of that county.
I want my yuppie, hi end downtown prosperity brought to Silver Spring if that means taking out all the low rent more power to em. Arlington, Bethesda, Tysons etc., all the nice areas don’t have the volume of low $ housing we do - I say follow suit and f*ck em so I have my chance of getting in nice stores.
Stop the “Magnet cities”(sanctuary cities), drawing or pulling ILLEGALS to cross our border, overtaxing the border patrol. Since 9/11, every American is obligated to help secure the border and ports. Not being part of the problem but part of the solution. Report ILLEGALS and businesses hiring them, to local, state, and federal authorities. Stop doing business with businesses, hiring ILLEGALS.
If we continue doing the same thing, we get the same results. Build the fence. Stop all magnets drawing them here. After all businesses receive cheap labor, but we (taxpayers)get the BILL(healthcare, foodstamps, education, social security fraud, bank fraud,ID thief, law enforcement cost, car/homeowners insurance rates,etc,etc,etc)! I rather pay more for lettuce or cut my own grass!
I think all Americans should be required to learn English before we bitch at illegal immigrants for not knowing it. Case in point directly above.
Lindemann, The writer before you is right! I want to report “reusha2000″ to Fox Mulder. Maybe he’s not illegal, but he’s sure an Alien.
Leggett claims that illegal immigration is a “federal” issue, yet the County pursues its own foreign policy by reaching out to gang-run nations like El Salvador for “business opportunities.” Unless the county wants to get into the drug business (it already runs the alcohol supply), Duncan was up to something. Kill the labor centers, taxpayers are financing the political campaigns of an illegal immigration political activist groups of Casa. There’s more than enough job for everyone without having to sit on the street begging. I believe illegal immigration is a federal issue. Leggett believes it is a issue that must be dealt locally. By providing easy jobs and social services we are just attracting more of them from their gang-run countries.
I wouldn’t be against illegal immigrants if they were required to serve in Iraq a couple years before getting their citizenship. But I bet they would stop coming then.
Comment by Lindemann
Made Saturday, 21 of July , 2007 at 4:26 pm
I think all Americans should be required to learn English before we bitch at illegal immigrants for not knowing it. Case in point directly above.
RE: I think that ALL Virginians(Including the person above) should stop Dictating Maryland tax payers to fund more Illegal Immigrants while Virginia tries to Kick Them out using Jim Crow Like Laws.
Their doing this as a Further Scheme(among many throughout the years) to Destroy All Forms of Business/Economic/Revenue Growth in Maryland while Encouraging more Intense Growth(Business/Economic/Revenue) for Virginia………..
Justin,
You can’t have it both ways: if countries like El Salvador are “gang-run” (as a result of the U.S. funded civil war) then the
“illegal immigrants” are refugees who absolutely deserve our support.
And second, illegal immigrants ARE NOT being given citizenship. And there are plenty of examples of immigrants dying in the service never having received citizenship.
Immigrants are not 3/5 human, and they shouldn’t have to risk their lives for their families to eat or live without terror. Your ignorance and privilege are part of the reason wars like the one that decimated El Salvador and helped cause this influx are allowed to be funded.
Unfortunately, this country can’t afford to support the 3 billion people that live in oppressed nations. I suggest a two-tiered immigration policy. Grant citizenship to the high tech, well educated immigrants who are employed by US businesses with no hassle. Draft all illegal males in America to serve in Iraq. If they refuse we deport them and their family. If they agree, they and their spouse gets citizenship automatically after a five year service and remaining part of the National Guard. Deport any illegal with a criminal background from America or their country. Illegal’s kids borne here shouldn’t be naturalized citizens. Germany and other European governments don’t consider them naturalized, we shouldn’t either. And immigrant families should not be allowed to seek welfare assistance. If you’re willing to work hard, serve this country in Iraq so we can bring our boys home, and respect the traditions of this great country, you should be an American citizen. Unfortunately, Takoma Park people think otherwise. I think the US government should make Takoma Park and illegal refuge and build immigrant boarding houses there. See how Kathy Porter would like that.
Comment by Sam
Made Tuesday, 24 of July , 2007 at 2:14 am
Justin,
You can’t have it both ways: if countries like El Salvador are “gang-run†(as a result of the U.S. funded civil war) then the
“illegal immigrants†are refugees who absolutely deserve our support.
And second, illegal immigrants ARE NOT being given citizenship. And there are plenty of examples of immigrants dying in the service never having received citizenship.
Immigrants are not 3/5 human, and they shouldn’t have to risk their lives for their families to eat or live without terror. Your ignorance and privilege are part of the reason wars like the one that decimated El Salvador and helped cause this influx are allowed to be funded.
RE: Cut the CON Game, if you really meant every last word you typed you’d be preaching to the People in Northern Virginia(Prince William and Loudon Counties) about how You think its Inhumane for them to support Laws that will allow their local County Police to Arrest any Immigrants that they believe are here Illegally.
All your trying to do is CON Maryland Tax Payers to Inherit the Mass Influx of Illegal Immigrants that are being chased out of Virginia.
Your not wasting your words for the sake of Illegal Immigrants your doing it out of the hopes/wishes of Making Maryland a Third World Welfare State full of Illegal Immigrant Runaways while Virginia is free from the Illegal Immigration Burdens and continue to be the So-Called Economic/Business/Revenue Empire of the DC area.
Also fortify the border with Mexico and Canada. i’m talking about tanks and troops, not some border control mall security guards. Post big signs “Hay no trabaja aqui” and shoot anyone that crosses illegally so we don’t have to spend a hundred billion dollars building luxurious “holding facilities” and high-tech fences. No illegal will dare to cross and no one will get hurt. Its psycological warfare and we can win.
“shoot anyone that crosses illegally”
Justin: Say what?
Justin: You are one sick, sorry son of a bitch. I am very grateful that your viewpoint is in the extreme minority. POS, right-wing Republican slime.
Ted: Speaking of sick SOB’s; give the Virginia vs. Maryland thing a rest. Maybe you should stop worrying about what is happening in Virginia and take care of things in your backyard for a change.
Maryland is better state than Virginia but why do you want our state to become like Virginia? You like the sprawl? You like the over-priced housing? Please consider moving to Virgina then.
Comment by IHateYuppies
Made Wednesday, 25 of July , 2007 at 3:12 pm
Justin: You are one sick, sorry son of a bitch. I am very grateful that your viewpoint is in the extreme minority. POS, right-wing Republican slime.
RE: At least the Right Wing is not trying to Wreck Business/Economic/Revenue Growth for Maryland unlike you Tree Hugging Maryland Hating Closet Racist(Anti-African American) Good Ol’ Boy Southern Democrats………….
IHateYuppies- Ted: Speaking of sick SOB’s; give the Virginia vs. Maryland thing a rest.
RE: Yeah Just like you give it a rest about people being racist because they don’t support Illegal Immigration when in reality You only Support Illegal Immigration because it will help the continuation of Damaging Business/Economic/Revenue Growth for Maryland.
IHateYuppies- Maybe you should stop worrying about what is happening in Virginia and take care of things in your backyard for a change.
RE: Your right and it should be starting with acknowledging the fake Marylanders that try to Dictate Maryland Taxpayers into supporting Schemes that will Damage the Identity of the state of Maryland.
IHateYuppies- Maryland is better state than Virginia but why do you want our state to become like Virginia?
RE: Better Question: Why do you want Maryland to be less attractive(Business Friendly, Higher Quality of Schools, Tourist Friendly, Upscale Retail, Better Planned Highways and Transit, Less Crime and Homicides, and Higher Paying High Tech Employment) than Virginia………
IHateYuppies- You like the sprawl?
RE: Sprawl is going to happen its how you prepare for it…….
IHateYuppies- You like the over-priced housing?
Atlanta, Georgia in which is like Northern Virginia has plenty of Cheaper Mansions/Mc Mansions.
IHateYuppies- Please consider moving to Virgina then.
RE: Why should I live in the same state as you, I’d rather live in the worst neighborhood in Baltimore than live in Virginia with a bunch of stuck up Maryland Haters like You…………