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Kalispell public commenter says immigrant residents feel fear and insecurity; callers praise police accessibility
Summary
A volunteer with Valley Neighbors told the council that immigrant community members in the valley are experiencing fear and insecurity related to federal enforcement actions, affecting school attendance and daily life. He praised the Kalispell Police Department for accessibility and urged continued outreach.
Ron Gerson, a volunteer and board member with Valley Neighbors, used the meeting’s public‑comment period to describe heightened fear among immigrant residents in the Flathead Valley.
Gerson said the uncertainty surrounding federal enforcement has caused parents to keep children home from school and made some residents reluctant to travel to work. He described a range of community reactions — from reduced school attendance to anxiety about routine traffic stops — and called attention to the stress those conditions impose on families and service providers.
Gerson told the council he had been meeting with immigrant neighbors and volunteers and said he was “heartened by Chief Benizio’s comments” in local reporting praising the police department’s approach. He called on the council and city partners to consider steps that would reduce fear and increase access to services for immigrants, and he praised the Kalispell Police Department for being “accessible and flexible,” urging that approach continue.
No formal council action resulted from the comment period; the item was recorded as public comment for the record.
