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Council vote fails to fast‑track 'Unmasked ICE Act' after heated debate over timing, legality and process
Summary
A motion to add Council Bill 5‑26 (the "Unmasked ICE Act") to next week's full‑council agenda failed on March 17 after extended debate. Supporters argued for urgency to protect residents; opponents and council legal staff cited state preemption, constitutional questions and the need for committee review. The motion failed 4–7 on a hand vote.
Councilmember Will Giordano moved on March 17 to add Council Bill 5‑26 — the Unmasked ICE Act, a proposal that would bar masking by federal, state and local law enforcement operating in Montgomery County except in narrowly specified circumstances — to the March 24 full council agenda for immediate public discussion and action.
Giordano described the situation as "an emergency," saying the council owed residents faster protections than might come from the state process and that the county should "get something on the books more quickly." He argued the county has a role in standing up for residents and stated, "If we're sued, we're sued," framing potential litigation as an acceptable consequence of…
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