The following originates from the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships. Please share.
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Dear Community Partner,
I wanted to flag that we have received multiple unofficial reports of a potential immigration enforcement surge operation in the region that could begin as early as this weekend.
We are coordinating closely with the Governor’s Office, as well as partners in Prince George’s County and the City of Baltimore, to track potential activity and share information as it becomes available. At this time, the only confirmed information we have is the presence of approximately 60 new ICE vehicles in the Baltimore area.
We have reached out to a number of partners to attempt to confirm additional details. To date, we have not received confirmation. We are exercising caution and have informed everyone who has reached out that, at this time, these reports remain unconfirmed and should be treated as rumors. That said, it is likely that we may not receive advance notice, and it is very possible that we will see increased enforcement activity in the coming weeks.
Out of an abundance of caution, we are encouraging offices to direct constituents to Know Your Rights (KYR) information and to urge impacted communities to have family preparedness plans in place. Based on information shared by other jurisdictions that have experienced similar operations, asylum applicants and refugees have been among the populations most likely to be targeted, underscoring the importance of preparedness even in the absence of confirmed details. We recommend directing residents to general KYR resources through the Gilchrist Center Immigration Center.
Additional operational notes for constituent support:
To report ICE sightings: encourage constituents to contact the Rapid Response Hotline: 1-888-214-6016.
Family Preparedness support: Identity can assist families in completing the Family Preparedness Plan. Here is the link to the referral form. Constituents may directly access preparedness guides via the Gilchrist Page.
Additionally, I am sharing here a couple of videos to inform our families in Montgomery County in Spanish that they can identify our Police Department clearly and be assured they do NOT cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Please feel free to share these as well.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/692804770331571
YouTube:
https://youtu.be/RtdBWF12nPY
We will continue to monitor closely and will share updates if and when we are able to confirm additional details.
Please help us spread this information, resources, and respective links with your networks. Thank you!