Wayne County Exec Evans: 'immigrants are safe here'

(WJBK) - Immigration reform is stirring up deep fear for some families.  The message from county executive Warren Evans is, you are safe here. 

Welcome to La Sed - a nonprofit community center with a school.  English as a second language being taught on Thursday morning. 

Even a small, but boldly colored library, was just dedicated by Evans this week.  A safe haven.  The message from many of these students, told by this English as a second language teacher:

"I'm not here to do crime, I'm here for work," said Maria Lezama, teacher. "I'm here for my kids, I am here for my family and they want to tell that to the people. "

FOX 2: "And they want to tell it in English?"

"Yes, of course," said Lezama. 

"This is a reprieve from the negativity, from the pressures of ‘Are you a citizen, are you a non-citizen?'" Mary Carmen Munoz said. "We are all human beings here at La Sed and that's what we embrace." 

This initiative is part of what Wayne County Executive Warren Evans wants to highlight-and he will as part of Tuesday's state of the county speech. 
 
He's putting his finishing touches on his speech-sharing a sneak peek with FOX 2. Just a day after the years old failed jail project was resolved-finally a plan to develop the site.

"Now the whole world opens up a little bit," Evans said. "Because it was the last of part of our recovery effort and now it's rebuild and move onto the future."

So where to spend those rebuilding dollars and that energy now? 

"The civil courts need a new house," Evans said. "The juvenile courts need a new house."

Then there's parks in Wayne County. 

"The connectivity between city parks, county parks, Huron, Clinton Metro Parks," said Evans. "Those are things we really need to explore, to create more parks opportunities.  The viability of a region has an awful lot to do with the parks."

And finally mental health, it is a $750 million project for the county. And now there is a new boss at the helm overseeing the entire project. This is important to the executive.  The former sheriff says this is a priority that can't be ignored.
  
 "The Wayne County Jail is the biggest mental health hospital in the state and it shouldn't be," Evans said.  “And so the money that goes into mental health problems will be used to move prisoners out who have mental health issues that are not particularly dangerous. 

On Tuesday Evans is also expected to talk about 6,000 acres of undeveloped area around Metropolitan Airport in Romulus. Which could be a Logistics or transportation hub. 

The State of the County is on Tuesday night.