TOWSON, Md. —Two bills now before the Baltimore County Council are designed to protect immigrants.

The councilman who introduced the bills during a legislative session on Monday said he did it because he was moved by his faith.

Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka, D-District 2, said immigrant neighbors aren’t just part of the community, they are the community.

With the bills, Patoka hopes to protect immigrants in the county and reduce fear of encounters with ICE and other federal officers.

“Right now, in Baltimore County, they are living in fear, afraid to go to places of worship, afraid to go to work. Children sometimes don’t go to school,” Patoka said.

The bills call for protection from discrimination and unauthorized immigration enforcement by county employees, departments and agencies. They also call for due process under law and advocacy by creating an Office of Immigrant Affairs in the County Executive’s Office.

Patoka said the memorandum of understanding signed between Baltimore County and the federal government sparked the legislation.

The county signed an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security. In October, the DOJ removed Baltimore County from its list of designated sanctuary jurisdictions.

Read full article and view video: Councilman introduces bill to protect Baltimore County immigrants