Role of the Rockville Police Department in the enforcement of Federal immigration laws

Rachel Singer

Ispeaktoyoutodayasthegranddaughterofimmigrants,and
asalicensedpsychologist.Ispeakfromtheexperiencesofmy
family,aswellasfrommyclinicalandresearchexperience.I
havetreatedrefugeesandaslyeesinmyclinicalpractice,and
specializedintraumatreatmentforthatpopulation

MygrandfatherwasborninKoministPodolsky,inwhat
todayispartoftheUkraine
HecametotheUSat15yearsoldbyhimself,tookalong
andtreacherousboatride,leavingbehindhisentire
family
HeimmigratedbeforetheRussianrevolution,indanger
ofbeingconscriptedintheczarsarmy
Atthistime,JewswerebeingpersecutedinRussia,
violence,riot,andmurders.
In1941,23,600JewsfromKoministPodolskywere
slaughteredwithintwodaysbyNazibackedarmed
forces.Thiswasaprecursortothefinalsolution,
conceivedbytheNazistowipeJewsoffthefaceofthe
earth
Mygrandfatherhopedforeconomicopportunity,went
throughEllisIslandlearnedEnglish,becameabusiness
man
Madeenoughmoneytogobackgethisparentsout,two
ofhiselevensiblings
CreatedanundergroundrailroadtohelpotherJewish
familiesescape,andsponsoredtheminthiscountry
Role of the Rockville Police Department in the enforcement of Federal immigration laws
Rachel Singer

Hereiswhatweknowaboutthispopulation:
In2015,therewereanestimated45millionimmigrants
livingintheUnitedStates,with14%ofthecountrys
populationbeingindividualswhoareforeignborn
Oftheimmigrantpopulation,11.4millionundocumented
individualsresideintheUnitedStates
Refugeesandasylumseekersrepresentindividualsare
whohavebeenpersecutedorfearpersecutionbasedon
theirrace,religion,nationality,politicalopinion,or
membershipinasocialgroup.Theyareunabletoreturn
homebecausetheyfearseriousharm.
Theyimmigrateforavarietyofreasonsforeducational
orworkopportunities,toreunitewiththeirfamilies,to
seeksafety.
Theyfaceauniquewebofphysicalandmentalhealth
challenges,includingdepression,socialisolation,trauma,
acculturativestress,racism,andahostofphysical
ailments.

Thisisapopulationwhoneedsourhelp,andallthe
warmthandwelcomingthatwecanmuster
Weasdec endentsofimmigrantsareuniquelypositioned
toprovideasafetyforthoseseekingahaven
Wemustnotsquanderthisopportunityletuswelcome
thosewhoareinneedofsupportwhowanttostartanew
lifeforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.
Iurgeyoutostronglyconsiderthisproposition,andmake
Rockvilleasanctuarycity.