Montgomery County said county employees could not provide any information to federal immigration officials without a warrant or subpoena.
Montgomery County has implemented a new policy prohibiting employees from sharing information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unless accompanied by a judicial warrant or subpoena. Effective immediately, county staff are directed to withhold sensitive information—such as immigration status and country of origin—unless expressly authorized by a supervisor. The policy, announced during a well-attended Board of Commissioners meeting in Norristown, states that “county employees are not deputized federal immigration agents,” underscoring the county’s stance that enforcement of federal immigration law is not within its purview.
This policy change follows a related announcement last week that the Montgomery County Correctional Facility will no longer honor ICE detainers unless they are supported by a judicial warrant. The shift marks a significant departure from the county’s previous practices and places Montgomery County in alignment with a growing number of jurisdictions opting to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, particularly in response to intensified enforcement efforts under the Trump administration.
Among the Trump administration’s border and immigration enforcement are a Haitian immigrant in the country illegally who had previously been convicted of rape in Delaware County and a 68-year-old Nicaraguan convicted of aggravated assault in Dauphin County.
Under its previous policy, Montgomery County jail honored ICE detainers by holding individuals for up to four hours after bail was posted, allowing federal agents additional time to assume custody. These detainers, which are not backed by judicial warrants, have been deemed voluntary by federal courts, and local jurisdictions can face legal liability for wrongful detention. A 2014 appellate court ruling affirmed that local governments are not required to comply with ICE detainer requests unless supported by judicial authorization. Despite county officials’ actions against the Trump administration, the new policy requiring a warrant would allow the county to hold the illegal immigrant for 24 hours.
The policy update came after a high-profile incident involving Andrea Lozano-Alanis, an undocumented immigrant and mother of two. After allegedly ramming her vehicle into a partner’s car, Lozano-Alanis was arrested, posted bail, and was subsequently held by county authorities for four additional hours—enabling ICE agents to detain her. She is now being held at the Moshannon Valley Processing Center pending deportation proceedings. County officials maintain that the policy had been under review for several weeks prior to the incident; however, the timing has drawn public scrutiny and intensified political pressure from immigrant advocacy organizations.
The changes come amid increased ICE activity in the Norristown area, where local advocates estimate that as many as 25 individuals have been detained in recent weeks. Protests and rallies, including a recent “No Kings” demonstration, have criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies and broader enforcement strategies, including the arrests of individuals with serious criminal records.
Montgomery County now joins Delaware County in adopting a more restrictive approach to ICE cooperation. Earlier this month, Delaware County officials announced a similar policy, further reflecting a broader shift among Pennsylvania’s Democratic-led counties to reassess and scale back participation in federal immigration enforcement activities.
