Montgomery County’s immigrant affairs director seeks to be trusted ally

Making Montgomery County a better place for immigrants is a top priority for Nelly Jimenez-Arevalo as she continues her work as the new director of immigrant affairs.

Jimenez-Arevalo, 56, of West Chester, stepped down in March as CEO and executive director of the Norristown-based ACLAMO, to take on the role of advocate for Montgomery County residents deadling with a federal immigration enforcement crackdown.

Norristown  and other county municipalities have seen increased presence of federal immigration agents in recent months as enforcement operations continue to escalate.

“I have heard from many families who are living in fear. Fear of ICE raids. Fear of being separated from their loved ones. Fear of simpl[y] being seen. This kind of terror has no place in our community,” Jimenez-Arevalo said during a recent Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting.

In the newly-created position in the county, Jimenez-Arevalo is involved with advocacy, resource coordination and policy development for immigrants, refugees, and those new to the county.

“The office of immigrant affairs’ mission is simple,” Jimenez-Arevalo said. It is ensuring that “everyone, no matter where they’re from, feels safe, valued and connected.”

Montgomery County has an estimated population of 868,742 people, according to July 2024 Census figures, with roughly 10.8 percent of county residents born outside of the country as of 2022. Officials estimated the county’s immigrant population at more than 100,000, with demographics revealing Asian, Latino, Chinese, Hindu, and Korean individuals.

“I’m serving every immigrant [in the] county,” Jimenez-Arevalo said, stressing that establishing connections with area organizations, including ACLAMO, the Jaisohn Center and Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition is important.

In a recent interview, she added that “making sure, internally and externally, that all of the services that are bilingual and multicultural are highlighted” is crucial.

“We’re committed to building a future where everyone can thrive together,” she said.

‘My path’

Jimenez-Arevalo came to the U.S. nearly 30 years ago from her native Venezuela, and has long been passionate about helping others.

“I think my path is one that an immigrant will dream of. I think that you have to work and fight for it and understand what your role is at all times, and also you have to find a way to balance life,” she said.

She said her interest in public service was sparked with the introduction to her long time favorite book, Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl.”

“That was very traumatic, and powerful at the same time, and I think that it started for me — for my life to be a social justice warrior,” she said.

Headed ACLAMO

Jimenez-Arevalo has worked in housing as well as maternal and child health roles, but it was her nearly decade-long tenure as ACLAMO’s top leader that was most meaningful to her, she said.

Established in 1978, the Norristown-based social services agency focuses on providing educational and social services as well as health and wellness resources to area residents across Montgomery County.

“I think for me, it has always been about where can I make the biggest impact,” she said.

Jimenez-Arevalo said she wasn’t necessarily looking for a career change when she learned of the county’s job posting. But she saw an opportunity to do some good on a much larger scale.

“I was very excited about aligning my values with the people that are making the decisions,” she said, adding “this is … a good step for me to impact, to make system changes … that are not working to serve the more vulnerable in our communities…”

Jimenez-Arevalo was approved for the position in February by county commissioners with the sole dissenting vote coming from Commissioner Tom DiBello.

Recognizing immigrants

Recognizing immigrant contributions, making information accessible is crucial for Jimenez-Arevalo

Outreach is important, including providing information on necessary resources for immigrants ranging from housing to jobs to legal support.

As “immigrants are our driving force in our economy,” Jimenez-Arevalo’s office has sought to spotlight local immigrant-run establishments and held an immigrant business roundtable.

On the economic front, she stressed the importance of “making job postings more inclusive,” offering information in multiple languages in partnership with the Montgomery County Commerce Department.

“I want to make sure that we are strengthening the relationships that we have in the services that we provide through our amazing team in the Commerce Department,” she said.

Jimenez-Arevalo sought to “recognize immigrants’ contributions to our economy.” She hoped these efforts hit home with immigrants across the county with a simple message: “You are welcome.”

“Normally, when you’re an immigrant, being an immigrant myself, you don’t understand the process, and how you apply for jobs, whether you can qualify for that or not. So I think it is important to do that,” she said.

Developing the county’s online Immigrant Resource Center was an ambitious endeavor for Jimenez-Arevalo. Launched in mid-May, it houses a wealth of information pertaining to rights, programs, legal counsel, and other points “to ensure that all residents of Montgomery County, regardless of background, have equitable access to the available resources and services in and around the area,” according to the website.

‘No one is safe’

Increased enforcement activity has placed communities on edge in and around Montgomery County as people witness immigration enforcement agents conducting raids. Fourteen undocumented immigrants were detained during an immigration enforcement operation in mid-July at a West Norriton Township supermarket as witnesses observed dozens of agents in masks and military gear swarm the parking lot.

Advocates, community members and elected officials have raised repeated concerns about the increased ICE activities and whether agents are following established protocol. Several people have claimed agents are not producing judicial warrants when detaining residents or following other legal requirements. With respect to the July 16 incident, a U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement spokesperson confirmed to MediaNews Group that agents from several federal agencies “conducted a federal court-authorized search” at the Montgomery County-based supermarket.

County Commissioners’ Chairman Neil Makhija and Vice Chairwoman Jamila Winder, both Democrats, have vowed not to deputize local law enforcement to carry out federal immigration enforcement actions. Jimenez-Arevalo applauded the initiative.

“I think that nothing says better that I am with you than when you make a statement so bold,” she said.

Jimenez-Arevalo and representatives from the county’s solicitor’s office have held training sessions on dealing with ICE and law enforcement. The county also issued a policy on employee communication practices earlier this summer, but advocates and area residents are pressing elected officials to enact more stringent policies to protect undocumented immigrants throughout the county.

“It is also very responsible from the commissioners to really make sure that we do not send a message that people are completely safe or that [they] are safe, because no one is safe right now,” she said.

Solicitor Benjamin Field previously noted that Montgomery County’s “2A County” status does not permit elected officials to “make rules for all the municipalities within our county.”

“People are going to be scared, and no one, even when I was in my organization, we couldn’t guarantee that people were going to be safe,” she said. “But what we can say is, we’re here. You’re not alone.

“We’re working to make our services more accessible, safer for the community and more open to everybody who needs our services,” she continued. “The other thing is working with our staff to make sure that they understand how to follow the law.”