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Montgomery County Council unanimously adopts local Values Act requiring staff guidance, training and public reporting portal
Summary
The Montgomery County Council on March 24 unanimously enacted Bill 3-26, requiring the county executive to publish guidance and trainings for staff who may interact with federal immigration enforcement, limit access to certain county spaces for civil immigration enforcement, and create an online portal for public reporting.
The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved Bill 3-26 on March 24, directing the county executive to develop and publish guidance and training for county staff on interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and to limit certain civil immigration-enforcement activities on county property.
Committee chairs said the bill, described during debate as a county-level "Values Act," is designed to separate county services from federal immigration enforcement and to strengthen community trust. "The purpose of this bill is to establish policies to govern interactions with our county facilities, property and our staff, and their interactions with immigration and customs enforcement when they are doing civil immigration enforcement," the joint committee chair told the council at the final reading.
The unanimously adopted measure requires the executive to issue written guidance, provide training to frontline staff and adopt department-level policies consistent with that guidance. It also updates signage requirements for exterior and certain interior building entrances and restricts civil immigration enforcement in county parking lots, garages and vacant lots, subject to specified conditions. A new online public reporting portal — added as an amendment to the bill — must be available before the rest of the law takes effect.
"The training per the bill must include sample scripts covering various scenarios involving potential ICE interaction," a sponsor said during debate, noting the need for clear procedures and a designated phone line staff can call for legal review. Proponents said the portal will let members of the public report alleged unauthorized use of county property for immigration enforcement and that reports may be used by the county attorney’s office to pursue enforcement or referrals.
Supporters tied the local measure to a wider state and regional effort to protect access to public services. Council members emphasized the bill's aim to reassure immigrant residents that libraries, schools and other county-run services remain accessible.
The bill passed by roll call vote; council leaders said it will take effect within 91 days, with the online reporting portal required to be in place sooner.
Next steps for implementation include the executive branch publishing the guidance and making training available online for county departments and frontline employees. The council recorded the action as a final adoption on March 24.
