|
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 18, 2026—On Tuesday, June 16, County Councilmembers Kristin Mink (District 5) and Will Jawando (At-Large) introduced the Community Trust in County Employees Act, Expedited Bill 29-26. The bill prohibits the County from hiring individuals employed by ICE (U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) or CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) after October 2025 into any County positions that directly serve the public or hold decision-making power regarding the distribution of resources.
The restriction also applies to individuals employed by other federal agencies who were recently assigned to enforce federal immigration laws if they kept that assignment for longer than six months. The bill is supported by local immigration rights organization We Are CASA, and mutual aid group Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective (MoCo IRC).
“This federal government has been routinely wielding civil immigration laws in a discriminatory manner and without due process,” said Councilmember Mink, the bill’s lead sponsor. “This has eroded community trust in government, and one of the impacts we’ve seen is a decrease in immigrant families accessing County resources. It is common sense to assure residents that County social workers, librarians, police officers, grant managers, and more have not been part of these unconstitutional, discriminatory federal actions.”
“Maintaining the trust of our diverse community is central to our ability to serve them,” said Councilmember Jawando, the bill’s cosponsor. “Our County departments cannot fulfill their missions and responsibilities if residents don’t have trust in their public-facing employees.”
“Our volunteers are helping hundreds of families impacted by ICE’s violent, unpredictable actions, and we see the stress and anxiety many now feel about any encounter with the government, even at the County level,” said Gaby Rivera, a lead with MoCo IRC. “We hope all Councilmembers will support the Community Trust in County Employees Act. Residents deserve to have confidence that County employees hired to serve them weren’t just part of the federal immigration enforcement system that has caused so much fear and disruption in our communities.”
“In my role, I and my team help thousands of families access critical services including housing, food, healthcare, and legal support,” said Oscar Alvarenga, newcomers transition coordinator with MCPS’s Department of International Admissions. “I’ve seen firsthand that because of ICE, our most vulnerable residents are becoming more fearful and less likely to connect with the supports our County offers. There is an urgent need for the County to take clear, meaningful actions like the ones in this bill.”
The public hearing is scheduled for July 14, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.
# # #
|
