Montgomery County leaders, immigrant‑affairs director respond to ICE activity as advocates press for a "welcome" policy

Montgomery County commissioners and the county's new director of immigrant affairs discussed recent immigration‑enforcement activity in Norristown and outlined outreach steps Wednesday, while advocacy groups urged the board to adopt a formal local "welcome" policy limiting county cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

The county's director of immigrant affairs, Neli Jimenez, told the board the office’s mission is to connect immigrants, refugees and new residents to county services and to increase language access and civic engagement. Jimenez cited a county estimate that roughly 100,000 foreign‑born residents live in Montgomery County—about 11% of the population—and described a set of initial actions including a county Indian Resource Center webpage, translated materials for notary and protection‑from‑abuse forms, and coordinated outreach…