Montgomery County approves measure blocking private ICE detention centers

ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Montgomery County Council has unanimously passed the ICE Out Act, a bill that prohibits the operation of privately owned federal immigration detention centers within the county.

The legislation, introduced by Councilmember Evan Glass and co‑led by the full Council, is intended as a preventative step to protect Montgomery County’s immigrant community, officials said.

"With this legislation, Montgomery County is sending a clear message to ICE: you are not welcome here," Glass said in a statement. "Communities across the country are standing up to ICE and taking proactive steps to protect their immigrant neighbors. In Montgomery County, we will not wait for an immigration detention facility to be proposed — we are ensuring it is never built in the first place. As one of the most diverse communities in America, Montgomery County will continue to stand firmly in defense of every resident and their safety, dignity and rights."

"Across the country, the Trump Administration has spent billions of dollars to develop large‑scale detention facilities operated by private companies with the mission of incarcerating people without due process. These facilities raise concerns about transparency, accountability and basic human rights," said Council President Natali Fani-González. "This legislation draws a bright line: the values of our County cannot coexist with facilities that undermine due process, public trust and humane treatment."

Earlier this month, a federal judge ordered ICE to halt construction on a proposed detention facility in Hagerstown in Washington County, Maryland.