He vowed to protect local immigrants.
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Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor at City Hall.
Frederick, Md (KM) During a news conference at City Hall, Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor tried to reassure citizens concerned about a second Trump Administration. “While we cannot predict every policy or action this administration may take, we’ve seen enough to know our path forward here in Frederick is clear: we will be steadfast in ensuring that our city continues to be a place where everyone feels safe, respected and protected over the coming four years,” he said.
President-elect Trump has said he will round up the immigrants who are here illegally and have committed crimes. For local immigrants who are concerned, the Mayor had this message. “The Frederick Police Department, in particular, is committed to assuring all residents feel safe in reporting crime, and know they will not be questioned about their immigration status. We refuse to aid and abet outside agencies attempting to detain, deport or remove any resident from our community,” he said.
Former Mayor Jeff Holtzinger said anyone here illegally and who has committed a crime should be held liable. “The election gave what the verdict was from the overall American voting public: they don’t want that to go unchecked,” he said.
Holtzinger says those here illegally and have committed offenses are the ones being targeted. “I don’t want to see anybody be in fear.. But at the same time, if you made a decision to come to the country illegally, that should be an issue for you,” says Hotzinger.
He says those immigrants who are working to become American citizens will not be targeted.
On another topic, Mayor O’Connor says he’s heard concerns from the LGBTQ+ community about being targeted during a second Trump term. He assured them they are safe in Frederick. “The Human Rights Campaign released their 2024 Municipal Equity Index. And for the seventh consecutive year, Frederick earned the highest score possible, a perfect 100 for our ongoing efforts to ensure equal treatment of members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community,” the Mayor said.
Holtzinger said Trump did not address issues associated with the LGBTQ+ community during the campaign. Recently, some members of the LGBTQ+ community have said they have been receiving threatening messages. “There’s any number of different groups of people that send message. If that concerns them, I think that’s valid. But it shouldn’t be attributed to President {elect} Trump in any way, shape or form, in my opinion,” he said.
At his news conference, Mayor O’Connor addressed reproductive rights. “In Frederick, we stand unequivocally with our state and our residents in defending these rights as essential to health, autonomy and equality,” he said. “As a husband and the father of two daughters, I firmly believe that every individual has the right to make their own health care decisions without interference.”
The Mayor said “we will not waiver” in the fight to protect and expand reproductive rights.
By Kevin McManus