Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Council President Natali Fani-González announced a new County website that includes a reporting portal to share information with the County about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the community.
The portal is one of the tools called for in two laws recently enacted by the County Council and signed by the County Executive, the Unmask ICE Act (Bill 5-26) and the County Values Act (Bill 3-26). The reports are for County tracking only and it is not a way to get emergency help or an individual response.
“This reporting portal will help us better understand what is happening in our community, identify areas where residents may need support, and respond with accurate information and resources,” said County Executive Elrich. “Every resident deserves to feel safe, and we remain committed to protecting the trust that is essential to keeping our communities strong.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau:
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- Approximately one in three Montgomery County residents is foreign-born and 33.6% of County residents were born outside the United States—more than twice the national average.
- Nearly half of residents speak a language other than English at home. About 43% of residents age 5 and older speak another language in their homes, reflecting the County’s linguistic diversity.
- Immigrants come from every region of the world. Some of the largest immigrant communities trace their origins to El Salvador, India, China, Ethiopia, Korea, Mexico, and many other countries.
- Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College have identified more than 150 languages spoken by students and families.
“Today we mark another important moment in our ongoing effort to protect Montgomery County residents from ICE lawlessness and overreach,” said Council President Fani-González. “The ICE reporting portal came directly from legislation that the Council enacted earlier this year. I particularly want to thank Councilmember Sidney Katz for authoring the amendment that made this critical resource for our residents a reality.”
Legislation enacted by the County Council and signed into law by the County Executive includes:
The Unmask ICE Act prohibits any law enforcement agency operating in Montgomery County from wearing masks or facial coverings while on duty, with narrow exceptions for legitimate health and safety purposes. It also requires officers to display and, upon request, verbally disclose their agency, name, and badge number.
To report masked ICE agents, complete the form found on the website. The information will be shared with the Office of the County Attorney to determine if there is sufficient information to issue a citation.
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The County Values Act establishes a formal framework for how County departments respond when federal immigration enforcement comes to our facilities and parking lots. This law ensures that our residents can access County services without fear and that County property remains in service of County residents — not federal enforcement priorities.
For reports of ICE activity in County parking lots or garages, the reports will be shared with the County’s Department of Transportation and the Montgomery County Department of Police to analyze patterns about where the enforcement operations stage before moving into the community.
The website, www.montgomerycountymd.gov/protecting, also includes information on the County’s immigration protections and resources on where to turn for help.
For help with immigrant support services, including family preparedness guides, Know Your Rights information, and legal support services, as well as help finding food, housing, health, and other resources in the community, visit the Gilchrist Center website or call their Information and Referral Line at 240-777-4940.
Read the original article at mcgov