More News

Immigration reform in Maryland received a boost Wednesday when state and local officials signed onto a pledge supporting legal residents becoming citizens and integral members of the workforce and civic community.

Representatives of several immigrant groups joined officials at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park in signing the New Americans Executive Order, issued by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D).

The order establishes a Maryland Council for New Americans, a partnership between the public and private sector promoting full immigrant integration within the state.

"Today, we are celebrating a proposition that is as old as the country itself, that immigrants contribute greatly to the country and state and have always done so," said O'Malley representative, Thomas E. Perez, director of the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. "This is a proposition that everyone in the state of Maryland should have the opportunity to realize the American Dream."

The New Americans council is tasked with recommending policies to increase the pace of naturalization and integration in economic and civic life for immigrants in the state, and perform any other duties assigned by the governor.

The council will include members of nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, businesses, unions and the faith community, as well as designated state and local government officials.

With Wednesday's announcement, Maryland becomes the fifth state to implement a New Americans Executive Order, following Illinois, Massachusetts, Washington and New Jersey.

"Not only am I for [the new initiative], but I'm for America, and this is America," said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D).

Wednesday's event also profiled a nursing licensure program for foreign-trained health professionals operating in the county. Montgomery County began the program two years ago to help the nursing professionals obtain registered licenses in Maryland. Since the first group of 25 Hispanic foreign-trained nurses began the program, at least eight have received their RN license.

To expand the program statewide, O'Malley included $250,000 in the current budget. The Maryland Hospital Association donated an additional $410,000 for the program.