A Maryland Senate committee chairman cut off the microphone of a witness testifying on an immigration bill because he did not like the words the witness, an immigrant herself, was using to describe people who entered this country illegally.
On February 3, 2022, State Senator WILL SMITH, JR. Democrat, District 20, Montgomery County, and Chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, made it a point to cut off the microphone of a Montgomery County constituent who was expressing her opposition to Senate Bill 129*, Access to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Program, during testimony being given over a Zoom connection.
Now, all speakers, who had preceded the constituent, were given their full two minutes to speak and all were in support of the proposed legislation. One additional person who opposed the Bill was also given a full 2 minutes after receiving a warning from Smith that her choice of words was unacceptable to him. The constituent, whom Senator Smith denied the opportunity to speak, was in fact herself an immigrant to this country. Only 39 seconds into her testimony, Mr. Smith stopped her from speaking because she used the phrase “illegal alien.” He muttered something about unacceptable words and then unmuted her mic, only to turn it off again when the term was used a second time. Mr. Smith said, “the language was demoralizing and uncivil.” His behavior was a clear and partisan abuse of his power.
Senator Smith’s actions were, at a minimum, egregious and most certainly, representative of the worst type of political hackery that has been seen on display in Annapolis. The woman to whom he denied the floor was herself an immigrant to this country and remained so until she was earned a different status – that of US Citizen - until then, she was referred to as an ALIEN. Smith chose to demean this citizen by telling her that the use of the term illegal alien was … in his OPINION … “demoralizing and uncivil.” The YouTube video of the Zoom call confirms his rude behavior. Just for the record, the term illegal alien is a legitimate use of language to refer to those who have entered our country illegally from other countries.
The Oxford English Dictionary provides the following for the word illegal: illegal / adjective - contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law. a person who enters or lives in a country without the documentation required for legal entry or residence … the same dictionary goes on to define the word alien: alien / noun - a foreigner, especially one who is not a naturalized citizen of the country where they are living, an illegal alien. In addition to these definitions, it is relevant to point out that the term is regularly used by the Federal Government in conjunction with forms used by those seeking and applying for immigration and naturalization status in the US. The US Supreme Court has used this term to address those who have entered our country illegally. Surely, a lawyer with Mr. Smith’s background knows this and knows that he should not be making up arbitrary rules in the middle of a hearing regarding language that he believes to be acceptable and not acceptable. An outright attack on free speech!
When Senator Smith assumed office, he did so with the understanding that he would represent all of the people of Montgomery County, not only those who voted for him. Given his behavior as a martinet during the conduct of these hearings, at a minimum, he owes this woman … his constituent … a public apology for his highly partisan behavior. Further, if there are to be rules that govern the conduct of his hearings, then he needs to publish such rules in advance. Senator Smith must not change the meaning of words in the middle of a hearing to soothe his own sensibilities.
AND … Senator Smith NEVER has the right to demean any constituent, or other person, who has taken the time and made the effort to participate in the legislative process.
* Establishing the Access to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Program administered by the Maryland Legal Services Corporation to provide access to legal representation for certain covered individuals detained in the United States in certain covered judicial or administrative immigration proceedings where an individual is subject to removal from the United States; and establishing the Access to Counsel in Immigration Proceedings Special Fund to provide funding to implement access to legal representation in immigration proceedings. --- AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE
Awesome, Thank you. !~Brigitta