MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) – There is a growing worry amongst Montgomery County leaders after President Donald Trump signed an immigration order into law last week that gives Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents permission to enter places of worship and schools to search for undocumented immigrants.
Leaders say they are working to navigate the new executive order.
“We’re really worried about it,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said. “I’m very worried about it.”
The order allows ICE to conduct searches and make arrests at places of worship and schools, locations that have been traditionally known as safe places for undocumented migrants.
“I’ve made it clear to the immigrants I’ve talked to that the County is not going to be able to stand between the federal police and ICE agents if they come here,” Elrich said. “We don’t have the ability to do that.”
Elrich says the new policy limits what they’re able to do to help migrants.
“For example,” he said, “we can’t provide shelter and say ‘this is a safe shelter.’ That would be a violation of the federal order.”
County leaders like Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart say there have been several discussions surrounding the policy, and plans are now being implemented in schools.
“They have protocols in place for each of our schools,” Stewart said. “They’ve been training the principals and their front-facing staff on these protocols if ICE happens to go to a school.”
Stewart says the most important thing right now is for families to be aware of the resources that are available to them.
“We have the information on our website,” she said. “[Also] the Montgomery County Public School’s website has very important information for families to prepare.”
“We’ve got clothing programs, we’ve got food programs, we’ve got access to healthcare, those things I expect to continue,” Elrich added.
