For Immediate Release: Friday, March 13, 2026
From the Offices of Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink
Motion would place Bill 5-26 on the full Council agenda for a vote at the next session given that it has not yet been scheduled for a committee session
At the next Montgomery County Council session, on March 17, Councilmember Will Jawando (At-Large) will make a motion to place the Unmask ICE Act (Bill 5-26) on the agenda for a worksession and vote at the following Council session, March 24. Bill cosponsor Councilmember Kristin Mink (District 5) plans to second the motion.
The Unmask ICE Act would prohibit federal, state and local law enforcement officers from wearing masks or facial coverings while on duty in Montgomery County, with exceptions for SWAT operations, public health protections and water rescues. At its March 3 public hearing, residents and community organizations called for passage without delay.
“Montgomery County residents have been overwhelmingly clear: pass this bill now,” said Councilmember Jawando. “Families are living in fear of the masked, unidentifiable agents who are showing up at their doors and in front of their children’s schools, pulling loved ones out of vehicles on their way to work. We hear them, and that is why we are taking the action this moment demands.”
“I have personally encountered these lawless agents hiding behind masks,” said Councilmember Mink. “And I share the feelings of the many community members demanding we take a stand. I will be proud to support the motion to ensure that this bill, which we’ve been clearly called on to pass without delay, moves forward.”
“Masked agents are kidnapping our community members every day, hiding their identities to avoid accountability. And right now, that is legal in Montgomery County,” said Allison Beltran, a lead with the Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective (MoCo IRC). “MoCo IRC agrees with the hours of public testimony calling on this Council to act with the urgency your constituents are experiencing on the ground. We hope the Council will vote unanimously to bring the Unmask ICE Act to full Council and get it passed without delay.”
The Unmask ICE Act is cosponsored by Councilmembers Mink, Shebra Evans, Kate Stewart, Laurie-Anne Sayles and Evan Glass.
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The County Values Act (Bill 3-26), which was introduced on the same day as the Unmask ICE Act, passed out of committee this week and will receive a Council vote on March 24. The Unmask ICE Act has not been scheduled for a committee session.
Under Rule 5(e) of the Montgomery County Council Rules of Procedure, at any time after the President calls a meeting to order, a Councilmember may move to add an item to the agenda of that meeting or a future meeting. The motion requires six affirmative votes to pass.
A bill related to masking is also under consideration at the state level. That bill would require a state Commission to develop such a policy for use by local jurisdictions. At Councilmember Jawando’s request, the County Council voted unanimously in favor of supporting that effort. If the state bill passes, the Unmask ICE Act will provide a strong model policy for the Commission to work off of, and ensure Montgomery County does not wait months or longer to put such a policy in place.
In his testimony to the state House Judiciary Committee in support of the state bill, Councilmember Jawando requested an amendment requiring an earlier effective date, which would shorten, though not eliminate, the lag to a state-wide policy.
Read the original article at mccouncil