Former federal immigration enforcement officers would be blocked from working in Montgomery County's libraries, health clinics, police stations and other public-facing departments under a bill that drew both passionate support and sharp criticism at a Council hearing Tuesday.
Expedited Bill 29-26, the "Community Trust in County Employees Act," would prohibit county agencies that directly serve residents from hiring anyone who worked for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on or after Oct. 1, 2025.
The ban also covers anyone assigned by the federal government after that date to help enforce immigration laws, though people whose federal assignment lasted less than six months are exempt.
Councilmember Kristin Mink of District 5 is the lead sponsor. Councilmember Will Jawando, who won the Democratic primary for county executive in late June, co-sponsors the measure.
Which departments are affected
The bill names eight county departments: Health and Human Services, Police, Fire and Rescue, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Transportation, Permitting Services, Recreation and the county's public libraries.
These agencies handle direct interactions with residents including health visits, permit renewals, library services and emergency calls.
What supporters said
Gabriela Rivera of the Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective told the Council that fear of immigration enforcement is keeping residents from seeking county resources. She said the effect ripples across the whole community and urged the Council to pass the bill without weakening it.
Immigrant services organization We Are CASA and food assistance nonprofit Manna Food Center submitted written testimony supporting the measure, along with individual residents Tara Yadav, Aubade Garcia, Lidya Leykun and Remy Lee.
What opponents said
Esther Wells, testifying as an individual, called the bill "inconsistent and incoherent" and argued it would create an overly broad screening process. She raised concerns about transparency, noting that the fiscal impact statement, economic impact statement and racial equity analysis were all unavailable for the hearing, according to the Council staff report.
"We cannot govern from fear. Where does it end?" Wells said.
She urged the Council to release the missing impact statements, protect the merit-based hiring system and vote no.
Broader context
The hearing came one day after an ICE officer fatally shot 26-year-old Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine. Immigrant rights groups identified Guerrero as a Colombian national with work authorization, according to NPR. It was the second fatal shooting by an ICE agent in a week, and prompted the Department of Homeland Security to temporarily pause many traffic stops.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Maryland on July 10, over the state's Community Trust Act, a different law that limits local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. That lawsuit raises a different legal question from the hiring ban proposed in the county bill.
What comes next
The bill heads to a joint Public Safety and Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee work session scheduled for Oct. 1. As an expedited bill, it would take effect immediately upon passage.
Residents can submit written testimony through the Council's official page for Expedited Bill 29-26 on the Montgomery County website.
