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Immigrant advocates and community groups ask county to fund immigrant affairs office and support new Middle River library
Summary
Speakers urged a fully funded, cabinet‑level Baltimore County Immigrant Affairs Office and requested county support for a proposed public‑private Middle River library that would be leased back to the county.
Several speakers representing immigrant communities and neighborhood organizations asked the county to strengthen supports for immigrant integration and requested resources for community facilities.
Jalise Ortiz Corral and Edwin Perez, both representing Latino community interests and local educators, urged the county to increase funding for nonprofits serving immigrant residents and to create a fully staffed, cabinet‑level Baltimore County Immigrant Affairs Office to coordinate services, language access and legal support. "Immigrants make up more than 14% of the county's population," Perez said, and speakers argued that a central county office would improve outreach and coordination across departments.
Separately, Dave Conrad, chair of a community task force, presented a public‑private proposal for a 25,000‑square‑foot Middle River library. Conrad said the developer Greenlee Community would fund upfront construction and maintenance and lease the space to the county over 25 years, turning the upfront cost into an operating arrangement. He said the project has broad community and library support and asked the county to include funding to lease and operate the space in the FY26 budget.
Speakers asked the county to consider non‑capital, operating solutions and partnerships that expand access to services and facilities while preserving county resources for statutory obligations.
