Speech and Testimony
County Executive Leggett’s Remarks at the Immigration Information Session for Providers
Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring
As prepared
Welcome everyone and thank you for time and all your work!
I want to recognize our panel, our departments here today (Please stand for the audience) – DHHS; Recreation; County Police; Correction and Rehabilitation; and our Regional Service Directors.
I also want to recognize from the Office of Senator Chris Van Hollen, Ms. Lillie Cruz; and from the Office of Congressman John Delaney, Mr. Jeff Samuels.
We are today to reaffirm to you, your members and community that you serve and all our residents on our County values, the “Montgomery Way.”
Our values of Diversity, Inclusion and Respect for all that have made, and will continue to make, Montgomery County a Special place to Live, Work and Play for all our RESIDENTS!
We are not changing any of our current policies and laws. Our Police Department is here to serve and protect us all, NOT, to do immigration enforcement.
We are proud of the ongoing communication efforts and strengthening relationship between our police department and other County agencies have created with our richly diverse-immigrant communities all over the County from Long Branch to East County to Wheaton/Mid-County to Rockville, Gaithersburg to Germantown.
As a welcoming community, Montgomery County, Maryland has become a magnet for talented people from every corner of the globe with a common goal to make life better for themselves and those with whom they work and live.
We know having people who understand nearly every culture and speak nearly every language is our edge in the global marketplace of the 21st century.
We are working hard every day to make sure the individuals and families who make up our diverse population of more than one million people feel safe and have the resources they need to thrive.
We will continue this very important work as it is essential and a matter of building a stronger, smarter and safer community.
We will continue to work with all of our communities and our Montgomery Sister Cities program with El Salvador, Ethiopia, China, and India; and now with South Korea as well!
We will continue to be one of the most welcoming communities in the nation!
These are our values and the Montgomery Way!
Thank you and please enjoy this important and informative conversation we are having here today.
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Release ID: 17-006
February 8, 2017; 3:30 p.m.