The Unmask Ice Act proposed by Councilmember Will Jawando, became an emotional point of contention at Tuesday’s Council meeting. While all councilmembers stressed they emphatically do not want federal agents to wear masks, they argued bitterly about whether to expedite passage of the proposal.
Set for discussion and recommendations by the Public Safety Committee on April 17, action on the proposal was purposefully scheduled to occur after the Maryland state legislators voted on a similar measure.
Jawando Favors Urgent Action
But during Tuesday’s session, Councilmember Will Jawando asked to move up consideration of the proposal, bypassing the committee recommendation. He called for it to be put for a vote at the March 24 council meeting.
Declaring, “”We are in an emergency,” Jawando, supported by Councilmembers Mink and Sayles, said there is no time to wait.
“We are being called upon by people who are saying goodbye to their children, goodbye to their parents, each morning, not knowing if they will see them again at night,” Mink added.
Other Councilmembers Want to Wait
Some councilmembers said they first wanted to learn if Montgomery County has the legal authority to demand that all law enforcement officers be unmasked in the county. That would include officers from the Cities of Rockville, Gaithersburg and Takoma Park as well as the Park Police.
Since Montgomery County Police do not wear masks and carry identifying badges, some councilmembers felt it would be okay to wait to see what the state legislators do.
Councilmembers Kate Stewart, Andrew Friedson and Natali Fani-González, grew very emotional. They accused those in favor of expediting the bill of trying to make it seem like they are against the Unmask Ice Act.
Expedited Action Voted Down
Following the heated discussion, the motion to expediate the bill failed by a vote of seven to four.
“The gaslighting that is happening here is insane,” Jawando said. He also said, “If we are sued, we are sued,” adding, “We need to make it clear we expect officers will not wear masks in our county.”
Wide Division Among Councilmembers
Councilmember Sidney Katz, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said the proposal needs to be discussed by committee members and reviewed by county staff before coming to a vote. “Some of this could be considered unconstitutional.”
But Mink said she became a councilmember to act, not wait for others to do something. “I am in a seat of power. All 11 of us, we are in seats of power.”
Residents “have called on us to do this as fast as possible,” Mink said. “Are we going to be a county that hems and haws” and lets other jurisdictions push for what is right?
Sayles agreed. “As the daughter of immigrants, this is personal. I will not allow politics to cloud my judgement.” She added, “There is no need to delay”
But Councilmember Dawn Luedtke called the idea of expediting this, “horrific,” adding, “We owe [residents] something more than getting someone on the books quickly.”
Amidst tears, Councilmember Kate Stewart, declared, “I am so angry and heartbroken. I don’t like surprises and I don’t like to surprise other people.”
She called out councilmembers who she believed were using the idea of an expediated bill to show the public who supports the Unmask Ice Act and who does not. Implying that those who don’t want a quick vote are against reigning in federal agents is unfair, she noted, saying “Each of us have had friends taken” by immigration agents.
“Please don’t divide us.” urged Fani-González. “This tactic of dividing councilmembers on something each of us cares so much is so wrong and is so awful and disgusting.”
“A Low Point for this Body”
Evan Glass, who like Jawando and Friedson are running for county executive, added, “People are playing politics at the council, and it is disgusting. Dividing this body while Donald Trump is dividing this country, that is not how we stand united.”
Friedson supported expediting the act, although he didn’t believe that was necessarily the right thing to do. He said he was voting to show residents that the council stands united with its immigrant community.
However, he said, “Today that unanimity has been destroyed,” adding, “Unfortunately our colleague has put us in a position where we are creating a horrible false choice.”
That “pains me,” Friedson said, adding, “”This is a low point for this body.”
