Md. City Smoothed Path for Laborers

A likely candidate for Maryland governor next year, Duncan said he is simply providing basic services, something he said the federal government has not adequately done. "It's not a question of local government coddling immigrants," he said. "We've got to keep a safe community."

Outside forces also made a difference. Several national anti-immigrant groups and a radio talk-show host in California weighed in. Herndon officials unplugged the Town Hall phone lines one morning last month after they were inundated by what were described as hate calls from listeners of a talk show on WMAL.

Gaithersburg's labor center had its genesis two years ago when Rocha and a minister from a large, established congregation decided to collaborate.

Louis Piel, senior pastor of Grace United Methodist, had complained to Montgomery police about the 50 or so people who gathered in his parking lot each morning to wait for jobs, some of them who drank, urinated in public and slept on bushes. Police posted signs threatening them with arrest if they did not leave.

Piel said he immediately felt remorse. "I'm a Christian pastor, and we're filing a complaint," he said. "There's got to be an answer. What's a church going to do, put a 'No Trespassing' sign up? You can't do that sort of thing."

Rocha, who comes from an affluent Colombian family and had been a day laborer in the United States after fleeing his homeland's civil war, had been handing out ham-and-cheese sandwiches to the Gaithersburg workers every other morning. He was also unhappy that the police had been called.

"This is not justice. This is not healthy," he said.

Rocha and Piel wanted to work together but realized they needed help. They contacted city and county officials, other churches, even Montgomery College to form a task force.

Officers from Montgomery's 6th District joined the committee, which was chaired by Piel. "We needed a long-term fix," said Lt. Marcus Jones, a deputy commander. "We were going to continuously run into this sort of problem."

About a dozen people began gathering regularly, sometimes once a week, first at Grace United and then at City Hall. Some sessions attracted as many as 45 people. They spent last winter searching for properties before finding the North Frederick Avenue site, just a block from Grace United's parking lot.

The plan went through with relative ease. In its 2006 budget, passed this spring, the Montgomery County Council approved $29,575 to lease the building and $124,780 for operating costs. The county will continue to pay the lease for the next four years.

Along with monitoring the behavior of both laborers and employers, staff workers at the center will offer English and computer instruction. Laborers won't be asked their immigration status. The facility will most likely be run by Casa de Maryland, an immigrant advocacy group that also operates the county's other day-laborer centers.