by Emma Cosca ’27

Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González introduced the “Trust Act” on December 4, which would permanently limit local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. In a county where a third of the population is foreign-born, proponents of the bill say it would restore community trust in law enforcement officials and improve public safety for all residents.

One of the act’s focuses is ensuring that county employees and departments are prohibited from inquiring about individuals’ immigration status unless required by state or federal law, a judicial order, or an international treaty. It would also prohibit county officials from conditioning county benefits, opportunities, or serviceson immigration status unless required by applicable law or a judicial order.
Under the proposed act, county police may not stop, arrest, or detain individuals solely for civil immigration violations, nor may they hold individuals past their release time on behalf of immigration detainers. Criminal law enforcement is fully preserved.

The Trust Act has the support of the full 11-member council, as well as County Executive Marc Elrich and County Police Chief Marc Yamada. A joint work session on the bill was held on Jan 28, and a full council vote will take place on a later date. As an expedited bill, the Trust Act will become law immediately upon Elrich’s signature.