Wake-up call for local officials

A rough translation of Maryland’s state motto is “Strong Deeds, Gentle Words.” In the case of a 14-year-old girl who was recently raped in a restroom at Rockville High School by two males students, both immigrants, one facing a deportation hearing, that motto in practice has been reversed.

The police report of the incident is so graphic that it cannot be described here, but the details surrounding the incident are these: Henry Sanchez, 18, a Guatemala native who has a pending “alien removal” case against him, and 17-year-old Jose Montano, who came to America from El Salvador eight months ago, have been charged with first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sexual offenses.

The two are alleged to have dragged the 14-year-old girl into a boys’ restroom where the attack took place.

Compounding the physical and possible long-term psychological damage to the girl is the response of school authorities and state legislators.

A letter sent to parents from Rockville High School officials said, “Ensuring a safe, secure and welcoming learning environment for all of our students is a top priority. Our staff remains vigilant in the monitoring of our school each and every day.”

Apparently not.

Among the many questions that should be asked is why Sanchez and Montano—both old enough to be seniors—were placed in a freshman class in the first place? They were given a translator to help them understand what the teacher said in English, but the word that describes that ludicrous decision is easily understood in both English and Spanish—“estupido.”

Equally “stupid” is a bill in the legislature that would declare Maryland a “sanctuary state.” If it passes and survives a likely veto by Gov. Larry Hogan, it would shield illegal immigrants from federal immigration laws. The Republican leader in the House of Delegates, Nic Kipke, says the measure “ignores the rule of law” and would create “anarchy” in the state.

When governments—local, state or federal—choose to ignore illegal immigration, they turn a blind eye to the worst elements—those who would break far more than just our immigration laws.

One of the things the left claims to always be concerned about are the rights of minorities and the disenfranchised. One hears that argument invoked often in debates over transgender individuals and which restroom they can use. If that works for liberals in this case, what about the right of a teenage girl to be protected against attacks by violent criminals who shouldn’t even be in the country, let alone her classroom?

Of course, most people who enter the country illegally are not violent criminals. But when governments—local, state or federal—choose to ignore illegal immigration, they turn a blind eye to the worst elements—those who would break far more than just our immigration laws.

If a law like the one under consideration by the Maryland legislature had been in force, Sanchez and Montano might have been shielded from a deportation hearing because authorities would not be allowed to ask them about their immigration status or even their country of origin.

If convicted of the rape charges, they should be punished and then deported. School officials and legislators who have helped create the environment that has allowed such a horrible incident to occur must be held accountable by the citizens of Montgomery County, Md., and voters statewide.

Listen to Cal Thomas’ commentary on the March 23 edition of The World and Everything in It.