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Montgomery County Council unanimously approves Trust Act aimed at protecting immigrant access to services
Summary
The Council enacted expedited Bill 35‑25 (Trust Act) with unanimous support after joint committee recommendations; sponsors said the act limits use of county agents and resources in civil immigration enforcement and affirms services access regardless of immigration status.
The Montgomery County Council on Feb. 10 enacted expedited Bill 35‑25, known locally as the Trust Act, following unanimous joint committee recommendations and floor debate.
Chair Kate Stewart and Public Safety Committee Chair Cynthia Katz reported the joint Government Operations and Fiscal Policy and Public Safety committees unanimously recommended enactment with technical amendments that preserve limited information sharing necessary to qualify residents for benefits and to ensure departmental record‑deletion practices conform with state law. Stewart described the bill as reaffirming county practices that ensure residents can access county services without fear of discrimination.
Multiple council members spoke in support. Council member Don Lukey and others called it a statement of county values and legal boundaries; Council member Kristen Mink said the move codifies protections the county has practiced and was necessary amid federal enforcement actions. Evan Glass described the measure as restoring trust for neighbors who are living in fear.
The clerk called a roll call. The transcript records affirmative votes from Council members Lukey, Mink, Sales, Store (Storch), Glass, Katz, Friedson, Evans, Gerwondo, Balcom and Council President Fanny Gonzalez. The council announced plans to coordinate with the county executive on a bill‑signing ceremony next week if scheduling allows.
The bill imposes local limitations on county participation in civil immigration enforcement consistent with federal and state law, includes technical amendments to retain necessary information sharing for benefit qualification, and requires conformity with records‑retention law.
