Frederick, MD: Standing Up Against Racist Immigration Local Policies

Report from anti-ICE demonstration in Frederick, Maryland.

In the small rolling hills of Frederick, MD, a coalition of grassroots community organizers from several different groups rapidly formed in Frederick, MD to stand together against ICE’s 287(g) program.

287(g) is a controversial program, which allows for local police to train and become deputized to act as ICE or immigration agents and raid immigrant communities. Contrary to ICE and local police safety arguments, studies have shown that the program targets immigrant residents and arrest them for minor traffic offense and misdemeanors. Moreover, it has a chilling effect in immigrant communities to report crime and trust the police.

Organizers from RISE Coalition of Western Maryland (Resources for Immigrant Support and Empowerment), Safe Haven Frederick, ACLU of Maryland, SURJ Frederick, and the Frederick Socialists rallied outside Winchester Hall on June 13th at 5:30 pm in downtown Frederick, in a fiercely vocal display of unified working class solidarity with our neighbors, friends, family members and coworkers from immigrant communities. Outnumbering the opposition at a rate of 10-1, we stood our ground during our non-permitted action and made our presence known, along with our righteous anger, and most importantly, our radical love.

The importance of confronting racism and bigotry in small towns outside of well-established organizing scenes cannot be overstated. Immigrants in our community now know that they have widespread support in confronting ICE and the racist police force, and ICE and Frederick County cops also know they are going to face formidable opposition if they choose to continue to harass people in Frederick. Bystanders know that there is a way to plug in and support immigrants in this community that they do not have to remain silent and compliant, and limit themselves to concerned hand wringing on social media. There are people in this town who are organizing and preparing to take action, growing in number every day that passes.

Throughout the evening, chants of “Hell, no we ain’t backing down! Immigrants welcome in Frederick Town!” and “Aqui estamos y no nos vamos!” (translation: We are here and we’re not leaving) broke out, as a small handful of supporters of the 287(g) program cowered behind police lines and yelled racist slurs and insults at our crowd. “No Trump! No KKK, No Fascist USA!” was the response, alternating with “No Jenkins! No KKK, No fascist USA!” to signify the need to recognize, acknowledge, and confront fascism in our own communities, and tie the national struggle to the local stage. At one point, the paltry few forces of opposition that were encountered attempted to interrupt the speakers, so activists with the Frederick Socialists moved a banner that read “No One Is Illegal” to block their view, and provide an auditory banner and allow the speakers to continue to speak unopposed. We yelled “No hate! No fear! Immigrants are welcome here!” as the enemy’s presence wilted and eventually petered out, and at 7:00 pm, we entered the meeting.

Yet, moments before the meeting started, a 287g supporter exposed the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office to its core issue with systematic racism. Emboldened by the Sheriff’s racist policies such as 287g, a member of the Maryland Chinese American Network, repeatedly used derogatory language to refer to our ally from the Caucus of African-Americans Leaders as “black man.” The racists comment was directed at our ally as he was one of the few and if not the only African American male in the room. The Sheriff response to the bigotry was to remove our ally from the meeting room while condoling the perpetrator of the racist comment to go scot-free. Although our ally was allowed back in the room and people cheered for him, it does not erase the fact that the Sheriff’s Office is prompt to associate black and brown people as “suspects” without reason at all.

Even though we were still bothered by the Sheriff’s response, some of us managed to remain with the intention of changing hearts and minds through appeals to reason and emotion while others prepared to cite statistics and facts. At least a handful of us participated in spontaneous acts of disruption and civil disobedience.

One socialist decided to spend the two minutes public comment period attendees were allotted quoting revolutionaries throughout history, starting with Frida Kahlo.”I find that most Americans lack sensibility and good taste. They are boring, and they all have faces like unbaked rolls.” Chuck Jenkins, the local Nazi sheriff of Frederick County, attempted to interrupt, asking “what does this have to do with 287(g)?.” The Socialists responded,”that one was picked just for you, Mr. Jenkins.”

Others held signs with the words “propaganda” and “false” written on it and waived reds cards to statements that were completely absurd while looking directly at the board members during the meeting. One could cut glass with the tension in the room that night. The mood was defiant, combative, blatantly and intentionally disrespectful and confrontational, with the members of our community giving council and the sheriff all the respect they were due: none.

The tension carried on after the meeting was over with threats in the parking lot from the same Sheriff’s supporters.The brown people rushed to their cars as they feared further attacks and confrontations on part of the Sheriff’s supporters. The Sheriff’s Office lack of response to correct the racist comments made inside the meeting room sent the message to the people of color that their dignity and safety is not important.

But there is no doubt that something is stirring in Frederick County. A grassroots underground movement is growing that hasn’t been present in years, even during Occupy Frederick was not nearly this organized and prepared. We are seeing marginalized communities standing up with their local allies ready to take action, growing in number every day that passes. The People are fed up with ICE destroying communities and police killings of black bodies without justice being served. We are sick and tired of seeing our friends overdose on heroin and every dollar wasted on ineffective and racist policies. We are sick and tired of being told to be polite, be respectful, to go out and vote for mediocre candidates in rigged elections, to do things “the right way.”

This isn’t the beginning, nor is it the end…but it’s something that this small town hasn’t had in years. A coalition has formed and begun to grow, and it does not show signs of slowing down. As a community, we have the right to decide what we find acceptable and unacceptable. We have the right and the moral imperative to resist injustices wherever they exist, whether we have permission or not. It is no longer enough to call ourselves democrats, liberals, or label the Frederick City moving towards “progressiveness.” It is time to get up and organize.

We are doing things our way. We owe nothing to our critics. We owe nothing to the rulers of this world, whether they come from Wall Street in NYC, H Street in DC, or Market Street in Frederick. Our community needs solidarity. We need real forms of resistance, and a real commitment to each other.

This is the time to finally have it.