Montgomery County leaders look to strengthen immigration protections

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Montgomery County leaders are advocating for new legislation to protect victims of violent crime, regardless of their immigration status. A proposed bill aims to remove barriers that prevent victims from qualifying for legal protected status.

FOX 5’s Maureen Umeh says the Uplifting Victims and Immigrant Safety Act, or the U VISA Act, seeks to ensure that immigrant victims of violent crimes, such as domestic violence or human trafficking, can receive help without fear of deportation.

Currently, victims can apply for legal status if they assist law enforcement in their investigations, Umeh continued. However, Montgomery County has a 10-year limit on helping those victims. The new bill would remove that cap, allowing more people to apply for the protection they need, regardless of how long it has been since the crime occurred.

Montgomery County leaders look to strengthen immigration protections

The goal is to build trust between immigrant communities and police, ensuring that crime victims feel safe coming forward. Local leaders and law enforcement will discuss the importance of the U VISA Act later Tuesday at a press conference at the council building.

While Montgomery County’s proposal focuses on protecting crime victims, regardless of their status, the national debate over immigration is taking a different tone.

President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed plans to declare a national emergency and use military resources for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. The proposal would focus on removing immigrants who Trump says are a threat to public safety and could involve military and local law enforcement working together to carry out the deportations.