As thousands march nationwide in opposition to the Trump administration’s family separation policy, Democratic candidate for the Arlington County Board, Matt de Ferranti joins them in standing for an inclusive country and Arlington County

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ARLINGTON, VA – On Friday, the eve of a nationwide protest against news of disturbing detention policies by federal officials, Matt de Ferranti, Democratic candidate for Arlington County Board, urged support of policies that contribute to an inclusive, engaged, and respectful Arlington community:

“Like so many others, I have been horrified by the decisions made by the federal government to take innocent children away from parents. Policymakers at the federal level have made a grave error that has and will cause real psychological damage to these children. Officials at all levels of government must stand against warehousing toddlers and for an inclusive community that respects the humanity of every person.”

• I support the statements issued by the Arlington County Board and Arlington Public Schools that an individual’s immigration status should not be a factor in whether they are allowed to seek public safety protections, pursue educational opportunities that are afforded to all children in our county, and enjoy the programs and opportunities that are intended to assist our community to reach its full potential.
• I support our police department as it seeks to recruit additional staff reflective of our community to reach its full capacity as a force. Recruitment and training to address implicit bias that subconsciously affects all of us are two key elements of the Police Department’s work to keep our community safe.
• I join our leaders and community as a whole in rejecting the federal 287(g) program, which ties up local law enforcement resources in unhelpful targeting of immigrants. Communities are less safe when their members fear reporting criminal activity due to immigration status concerns.
• I support the Arlington County Board’s FY 2019 budget allocation to the Legal Aid Justice Center to provide Arlington residents with pro bono representation and translation services during legal proceedings.

At every opportunity, I will seek to emphasize that Arlington is and must remain an inclusive and welcoming community. We have a moral responsibility to stand with our immigrant community in a manner that is respectful and humane to all, including children.”

To learn more about the Families Belong Together Rally online at https://act.moveon.org/event/families-belong-together_attend1/search/.

If you share Matt’s views, please join our campaign by going to www.MattForArlington.com.

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To learn more about Matt’s campaign, please visit www.MattForArlington.com

To find upcoming campaign events, take a look at the campaign calendar on our website at www.MattForCountyBoard.com/calendar/

For more information please contact Nathan Saxman at nathan@mattforarlington.com or (804) 615-4170.