U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli challenged Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to debate his county’s sanctuary policies for illegal aliens Friday.
Cuccinelli also rejected the notion that his concern for victims of sex crimes committed by illegal aliens in Montgomery County, MD is consistent with being a “neo-Nazi sympathizer.”
Elrich signed an executive order last month prohibiting local law enforcement in Montgomery County, MD from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Police in the DC-adjacent county do not abide by ICE detainers placed on illegal aliens accused of crimes, and also cannot allow ICE to enter secure areas of jails.
Since the order was issued, seven illegal aliens have been arrested for sex crimes. At least one accused rapist was released back into the community before he could be detained by ICE.
Cuccinelli first weighed in on the string of rapes in the county on Twitter earlier this week, writing in response to the arrest of a Salvadoran national, “More sanctuary Montgomery county consequences… sad and tragic.”
However, the Montgomery County Council later accused USCIS, the White House, and conservative media outlets of spreading misinformation about the county’s policies. The Council’s statement also went a step further, lumping in Cuccinelli’s criticism of the sanctuary policies with neo-Nazism. (RELATED: Officials In ‘Sanctuary County’ Lash Out At Conservative Media For Reporting On String Of Illegal Alien Sex Crimes)
Cuccinelli said the statement is proof that politicians in Montgomery County “cannot debate the failure of its sanctuary policies on the merits … so they resort to ad hominem attacks using Nazi implications.”
(1/3) Sanctuary County, Montgomery County, MD cannot debate the failure of its sanctuary policies on the merits (7 violent assaults, rape etc, incl child victims in ~1 month), so they resort to ad hominem attacks using nazi implications – arguments out of bounds in civil society.
— USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli (@USCISCuccinelli) September 6, 2019
He then challenged Elrich to debate the topic, asserting, “I’ll defend children and crime victims, Elrich can defend rapists and [murderers] who shouldn’t even be in this country.”
(2/3) If MontCo Chairman Elrich thinks the sanctuary policy they are so proud of is so good, I challenge him to a debate on the subject. Neutral location (e.g. cspan or webcast w/no audience present). 1 hr total, 2.5 min open & close, w/alternating 5 min blocks determined by lot.
— USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli (@USCISCuccinelli) September 6, 2019
(3/3) No moderator, only a timekeeper w/a hard stop (i.e., mic goes off at end of time). I’ll defend children and crime victims, Elrich can defend rapists and murders who shouldn’t even be in this country. What do you say, Mr. Chairman?
— USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli (@USCISCuccinelli) September 6, 2019
The White House did not return a request for a response to the Council’s statement.