Remaining an Inclusive Community: Councilmember Navarro’s Statement on the 2016 General Election

“I have taken the past week to process what occurred on Tuesday, with the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States.

Montgomery County voters overwhelmingly rejected Mr. Trump, with Secretary Clinton earning nearly 75% of the vote and Mr. Trump finishing with less than 20%. Montgomery County voters made their voices heard — we continue to believe in an inclusive, pluralistic society where all people should be treated equally. We are not alone. Nearly a million more voters nationwide stood with Secretary Clinton than Mr. Trump. However, under our Constitution, Mr. Trump won the Electoral College, and the presidency.

During the campaign, Mr. Trump made clear his disdain for immigrants, women, Muslims, people with disabilities, and others who do not share his worldview. He vowed to establish a “deportation force” to forcibly remove the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States. It has yet to be seen if President Trump will take the same hard-line view as Candidate Trump on this issue, but we have no real reason to believe he will not.

Montgomery County has always prided itself on being a welcoming community that is strong because of our diversity.
 Many of our neighbors are living in fear. Immigrant families with mixed status are afraid they will be torn apart. Women are afraid of losing essential health care services. Muslims are afraid of being persecuted based on their religion. The LGBT community is afraid of their right to marry being rolled back, and discriminatory laws going unchallenged. African-Americans are afraid justice reform will no longer be a priority. We have already seen an increase in racist and hateful messages targeting communities of color, even here in Montgomery County.

We cannot be intimidated by these cowardly acts. We need to recommit ourselves to fighting bigotry in all forms through positive action. We need to organize, volunteer, advocate, and vote. In Montgomery County, I will work to ensure we remain a welcoming community for all of our residents. Today, I will introduce a resolution with my Council colleagues encouraging Montgomery County to adopt a similar posture as the City of Chicago when it comes to protecting our immigrant communities. The resolution includes a request to the County Executive to provide special instructions for MC311 operators to help direct residents to legal resources and other supportive services.

Make no mistake — the election of Donald Trump was an enormous setback for the United States. His election strikes at the heart of what we stand for in Montgomery County. Last week was a time for sadness and personal reflection. Starting today, we need to get off the mat, brush ourselves off, and gear up for the fight ahead. The Federal Government can change laws, regulations, and policies, but they cannot change who we are as a people. It is up to us to stand up for each other and work harder than ever before to move our county and our nation forward.”