The Montgomery County Council will consider new legislation that limits the county’s role in immigration enforcement.
Council President Natali Fani-González announced the Trust Act during a news conference Thursday.
“When we say we’re going to support immigrants, we do it with action. It’s not a talking point, it’s not a sound bite,” Fani-González said.
County leaders and immigration advocates spoke alongside Fani-González to express their support, including Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada.
“This legislation largely places into law things that are already being done by the Montgomery County Police Department in both practice and policy,” Yamada said. “I want to be very clear: The Montgomery County Police Department has not and does not enforce immigration law.”
The legislation would limit the use of county agents and resources in civil immigration law enforcement and ban discriminatory practices against foreign nationals and immigrants.
“We will continue to enforce our criminal laws in Montgomery County,” Fani-González said. “We believe in public safety.”
Council member Will Jawando, the son of Nigerian immigrants, pointed out that 45% of county residents are either foreign-born or the children of immigrants.
“We all come here for one reason: to have a great life. And when you come for one of us, you come for all of us,” Jawando said.
County Executive Marc Elrich supports the bill, saying it would codify his 2019 executive order.
“It means that no county executive can simply walk in and issue a different executive order that would abrogate this,” Elrich said. “Codifying this gives it a level of permanence and security that I think is important.”
Council member Evan Glass commented on the current state of federal immigration policy.
“Too many of our neighbors are living in fear,” he said.
Firsthand experiences
Tracy Espinoza, a 17-year-old senior at Watkins Mill High School in Gaithersburg, said during the news conference that a member of her own extended family had been detained while at an appointment to address their legal status.
“Many of us come from migrant families ourselves,” Espinoza said. “We care for our fellow students who are living through trauma at an age where we should only be worrying about homework or things like college applications.”
Espinoza said a large majority of her school is Hispanic and has been a good support system for her where she can discuss her feelings.
“I know it’s something that has been very, very helpful for me, in terms of being able to just voice and communicate the concerns that I hold as a student,” she said. “Not all students have that, and I recognize that.”
George Escobar, executive director of the immigration rights organization CASA, said the law is needed because of “the unprecedented times where we find ourselves in.”
He referenced the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man wrongly deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. CASA attorneys are continuing to fight his removal to a third country by President Donald Trump’s administration.
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