Testimony by Caitlin Duffy

Before the Rockville Mayor and Council

Regarding the Role of the Rockville Police Department in the
Enforcement of Federal Immigration Laws
March 6, 2017
Hello and good evening esteemed Mayor Newton and
Councilmembers. My name is Caitlin Duffy. As a resident of Rockville,
I am here to express support for officially establishing Rockville as a
Sanctuary City. I am the daughter of Irish and Polish immigrants who
came to the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and German
immigrants who arrived even earlier in our countrys history. I grew
up in New Jersey, and moved to this area five years ago to attend
graduate school. I love my Rockville community because of its racial
and ethnic diversity, including my Chinese, Korean, Latino, and
Persian neighbors whose families came to the US with hopes and
dreams not unlike those of my ancestors.
Here with me tonight is my partner, Hani, and its because of him
that I testify. Hanis immediate family immigrated to the Rockville
area from Iran 12 years ago, while his extended family arrived over
35 years ago. You might be familiar with his familys story if youve
visited their Persian restaurant and market on the Pike.
In 2015 I had the honor of not only watching this man become a
naturalized citizen of the United States, but also becoming his wife
in the Circuit Court next door. Critics of illegal immigration might
paint Hani as an exemplary documented immigrant who waited in
line to come to this country. In reality it took over a decade for my
husbands family to receive their visas. That is not a line -- its a
broken immigration system. Many, such as Syrian refugees fleeing
war, or Central Americans escaping gang violence, do not have the
luxury of waiting weeks, let alone decades, for a piece of paper.
Documented or undocumented, immigrants like my husbands
family contribute more to our local economy, faith communities, and
the richness of our culture than they could ever take from my taxes
or subjective sense of safety. I love our citys commitment to
inclusivity, and I dont believe that paperwork defines what it means
to be American. Our undocumented neighbors particularly deserve
all the dignity and safety that we can afford, especially in the face of
our Presidents discriminatory rhetoric and policies targeting
immigrant communities.
Municipalities such as Rockville must do more. We cannot expect
philanthropy, nonprofits, or faith institutions alone to fill this great
public need. I encourage Mayor Newton and the Council to
proactively adopt Sanctuary City policies to protect our immigrant
sisters, brothers, and families from punitive federal immigration
laws. Thank you.