In a unanimous vote, the 11-member Montgomery County Council passed the Trust Act, a bill intended to protect immigrants and limit the county’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The bill prevents county employees from giving federal immigration officials access to county buildings unless they have a judicial warrant. The bill also directs the county not to retain any unnecessary information about a county resident’s immigration status.

Council President Natali Fani-González, who came to the U.S. as a teenager from Venezuela, said the goal of the legislation is something that has been in the works since before she won a seat on the county council.

“It’s been a long run, and we’re here now in Montgomery County, moving it forward,” she said.

Council member Kate Stewart said part of the intent of the bill is “to ensure that all residents, regardless of immigration status, can safely access county services without fear or discrimination.”

Council members Sidney Katz and Kristin Mink noted the state of the county’s immigrant population’s morale as “sad,” and that passing the legislation is a bittersweet victory.

“We are at the point where instead of bake sales, PTA members are walking kids to school so that their parents don’t get kidnapped,” Mink said.

The legislation was done in consultation with local law enforcement, and Council member Dawn Luedtke said it was “100% appropriate under the constitution, and respects the boundaries between federal law, state law and local law.”

Council member Andrew Friedson said the bill was a message to residents “that we’re going to stick up for them, we’re going to protect them.”

Referring to the name of the bill — the Trust Act — Council member Evan Glass said, “The action that we’re taking today is to restore trust in our community.”

The bill has the support of Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, and could be signed into law as early as next week, according to Fani-González.