After hearing hours of testimony Tuesday, the County Council rejected two resolutions that would have asked County Executive Steuart Pittman to revive a federal immigration screening program — and not use proceeds from another program to provide legal aid for detainees.

The resolutions, forwarded by Councilman Nathan Volke, a Pasadena Republican, were voted down on a 4-to-3 vote, with Republicans supporting the measures and the Democratic majority voting against.

Recently Pittman pulled the county out of the 287(g) program that had county corrections officers working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials by screening inmates picked up on other charges for possible immigration violations. One of Volke’s resolutions would have urged him to reinstate it.

Also, Pittman proposed using some of the county’s income from another program — by which the county houses some ICE detainees — to provided legal assistance to the detainees. The other resolution sought to prevent using those funds for legal aid to assist immigrants facing deportation proceedings. But that resolution was rendered moot after ICE officials told the county last week it was ending the contract to house immigration detainees in the county jail.

Nearly 60 people testified before the council at Tuesday’s meeting, the majority speaking against the resolutions.

Some resolution supporters said the 287(g) program came down to a public safety issue, keeping violence off our streets.

“This county has so much to offer and we have to keep it safe,” said Pauline Elliot, of Pasadena.

Opponents countered there was no evidence the program aided crime prevention or law enforcement and said the program was redundant of other programs. Dawn Merino of Pasadena noted that only a small fraction of the 15,338 law enforcement entities in the country use 287(g).

“It does not make communities safer. There is no safety benefit,” she said.

Volke said he kept both on the council’s agenda to provide an opportunity to keep the issue afloat and a matter of debate. Council chambers were filled to standing room only before Chairman Andrew Pruski, a Gambrills Democrat, gaveled the session to order.

Detention Superintendent Bill Martin testified that in conversation with ICE officials, the reason for terminating the program was not dumping the 287(g) program but Pittman’s desire to use some of the funds for the legal defense of detainees.

“They said they did not appreciate how we would spend ‘their’ money,” Martin said. “ICE wants deportation without representation.”

He added that a separate criminal alien program, which uses similar tools to identify alien status, has been working in the county for 14 years.

Two of the first people to testify were Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler and another member of his staff — they testified in support of the measure seeking reinstatement of the 287(g) program.

Others noted a Department of Homeland Security report that said the program is ineffective and that management of it is in disarray.

Supporters of the measure pointed to holes in the system. Volke and Councilwoman Jessica Haire said that since the program was nixed a month ago 13 potential immigration law violators were not interviewed by ICE officials because they were let out of detention before the feds could get to them.

Others decried the resolutions, numbers one and two of the year, as divisive and said the issue was part of the recent election campaign and the voters spoke their mind.

Some said the debate was a waste of time because the County Council has no jurisdiction over the issue — only the county executive does. The resolutions would not have been binding.

“Why is the council even taking up this discussion?” Cate Bauer of West River said. “It should focus on the county’s business. We want representatives who don’t waste time with meaningless gestures.”

Haire pointed to the statistics backing her point of view and refuted Pittman’s reasoning for rejecting 287(g) — that it created distrust in the immigrant community and was a redundant administrative burden.

Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien, an Annapolis Democrat, pointed to the impact on the community.

“What it boils down to is it creates a climate hostile to immigrants. As a county government, I am surprised we are even talking about this,” Rodvien said. “We can be cooperative with the federal government, not doing their jobs for them.”

pfurgurson@capgaznews.com