Sec. 2-164. Immigration enforcement guidance for County departments.
Montgomery County, Md., Code § 2-164 (2026)
Sec. 2-164. Immigration enforcement guidance for County departments.LinkCopy Citation
(a)
Guidance by the County Executive. The County Executive, in consultation with the Office of the County Attorney, must create and publish immigration enforcement guidance for County agents that perform work in or at County-owned or County-controlled facilities. The guidance must:
(1)
establish an immigration enforcement action plan that provides a step-by-step process if ICE visits a County facility;
(2)
indicate the process a facility should use when designating certain areas for public or non-public use;
(3)
include model policies and sample scripts covering various scenarios involving potential ICE interaction;
(4)
explain how to distinguish between different types of warrants and civil detainers;
(5)
include policies and practices for departments to guide interactions between County agents and ICE officials, ensuring that immigration enforcement activities are carried out in the least disruptive and safest possible manner;
(6)
include measures that would limit liability exposure for County agents at County facilities; and
(7)
include recommendations for complying with existing legal obligations and limitations at County facilities while balancing public safety and accessibility at those facilities.
(b)
Responsibilities of each Department. Unless otherwise required by state law, each department must:
(1)
ensure County agents that perform work in or at County-owned or County-controlled facilities are trained on the Executive’s policies and guidance;
(2)
designate a supervisor or manager to serve as the designated official responsible for handling visits by ICE;
(3)
provide a phone number for frontline staff to contact a designated official at any time;
(4)
where applicable, identify areas and post signage:
(A)
at the entrances of County facilities that state: “Montgomery County does not consent to civil immigration enforcement operations on these premises,” and
(B)
at entrances of non-public spaces that state: “Not Open To The General Public. Only authorized individuals permitted. A County agent may not consent to entrance for civil immigration enforcement without authorization from a designated official”; and
(5)
include any other department-specific measures to assist County agents in balancing the interaction with ICE.
(c)
Signage for private use. The County Executive must develop and make available on the County’s website a signage template that business owners and leaseholders may use to lawfully notify visitors that the property may not be used for immigration enforcement by ICE.
(d)
Executive regulations. The County Executive may, under Method 3, establish regulations and standards as necessary to accomplish the purposes and intent of this Article. The regulations must be at least as stringent and consistent as this Article.