By Radwan Chowdhury, Candidate for Montgomery County Council At-Large
Today marks Immigrant Day of Resilience—a day to honor the extraordinary strength of families who cross borders, learn new languages, and rebuild their lives from scratch. As a first-generation immigrant and candidate for Montgomery County Council At-Large, I want to share what resilience means to me, and more importantly, what it should mean for our county’s policies.
The Weight of Resilience
Resilience is often celebrated as a virtue. We praise immigrants for “pulling themselves up by their bootstraps,” for working three jobs, for enduring separation from family without complaint. I’ve lived this. I know the 2 AM shifts, the ESL classes after work, the pride mixed with exhaustion.
But here’s what I’ve learned: Resilience without justice is just survival. And our immigrant neighbors deserve more than survival—they deserve to flourish.
Montgomery County’s Immigrant Reality
Our county is one of the most diverse in America. Over 30% of our residents are foreign-born, speaking more than 150 languages. Immigrants own 40% of our small businesses. They teach in our schools, heal in our hospitals, and build our communities.
Yet:
- Families live in daily fear of deportation due to 287(g) agreements with ICE
- Immigrants facing removal proceedings lack guaranteed legal representation, despite studies showing counsel increases success rates by 10x
- Language barriers prevent access to critical health and social services
- Immigrant entrepreneurs face disproportionate challenges accessing capital and contracts
This isn’t resilience. This is systemic failure dressed up as individual struggle.
From Resilience to Rights
As your County Council representative, I will transform how Montgomery County treats its immigrant residents:
1. End 287(g) Agreements These partnerships between local law enforcement and ICE destroy trust between police and immigrant communities. When victims fear deportation, they don’t report crimes. When witnesses fear ICE, justice suffers. Public safety requires trust—and 287(g) erodes it.
2. Universal Legal Defense No one should face deportation without an attorney. I’ll champion a county-funded legal defense program, modeled on successful programs in New York and San Francisco, ensuring every immigrant in removal proceedings has qualified representation.
3. Language Access as Standard From healthcare to housing assistance to business permits, every county service must be accessible in multiple languages. This isn’t courtesy—it’s civil rights.
4. Immigrant Small Business Support Immigrants drive our economy, yet face barriers to SBA loans and county contracts. I’ll establish an Office of Immigrant Business Affairs to provide technical assistance, microloans, and procurement opportunities.
5. Safe Schools, Safe Communities Our schools must be sanctuaries where every child can learn without fear. I’ll strengthen policies preventing ICE enforcement on school grounds and ensure MCPS resources support multilingual families.
A Vision of Belonging
Resilience got my family through our first years in America. But what made us thrive was opportunity—good schools, fair housing, the chance to start a business, and neighbors who welcomed us.
That’s the Montgomery County I want to build. Not one where immigrants merely survive through grit and sacrifice, but where they belong, participate, and lead.
On this Immigrant Day of Resilience, I honor the strength of our immigrant neighbors. And I commit to building a county where that strength is met with justice, dignity, and opportunity.
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Contact us: [email protected]
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Radwan Chowdhury is a first-generation immigrant, small business advocate, and candidate for Montgomery County Council At-Large. He lives in D5 with his family.
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