The Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown. (File Photo).
In the wake of an uptick in federal agents conducting immigration operations across Montgomery County, high-ranking law enforcement officials have outlined their related policies.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Abington Township Police Department Chief Patrick Molloy, who also serves as the president of the Police Chiefs Association of Montgomery County, issued a joint statement on recent “ICE-related events” in the area.
“The entire Montgomery County law enforcement community, and its leaders, are united in our mission and dedication to upholding the rule of law, and ensuring that Montgomery County remains a safe place to live, work and enjoy life,” Molloy and Steele said in a statement.
Montgomery County Sheriff Sean Kilkenny, a Democrat, issued a separate statement on the matter, stressing that the security of all Montgomery County residents is paramount.
“We are committed to building and maintaining trust with every member of our community, regardless of background, and we strive to ensure that all residents feel safe interacting with our deputies and seeking assistance when needed,” Kilkenny said in a statement.
These statements come just days after a raid in Trooper where federal agents detained a man after an hours-long standoff, blocking off a residential road as around 50 residents came to observe and object to their actions. The incident left a family member of the man detained injured, and the community shaken.
“Recent events have understandably raised questions and concerns within our community regarding the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and our role in matters involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” Kilkenny said.
Montgomery County has an estimated population of 868,742 people, according to July 2024 Census figures, with additional statistics from datausa.io revealing that roughly 10.8 percent of county residents “were born outside of the country” as of 2022. Officials estimated the immigrant population at more than 100,000 people.
Norristown, the county seat, has an estimated 35,769 residents with 32.9 percent of the population identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures.
Montco Community Watch, a grassroots organization focused on documenting immigration enforcement activities, has recorded instances of more than 100 detentions since June 2025. An ICE spokesperson previously declined to disclose to MediaNews Group how many detainments have taken place locally.
“Our protocol during any fatal shooting or use of force event is for local law enforcement and the Montgomery County Detective Bureau to immediately respond to the scene,” Molloy and Steele said. “Detectives and officers work to neutralize any safety threat, provide first aid to the injured and secure the crime scene.”
“Detectives from the Montgomery County Detective Bureau and local law enforcement will launch an investigation to determine if any Pennsylvania laws were violated and by whom,” they continued. “It does not matter whether the investigation involves local, state or federal law enforcement. There will be a complete and independent review by an expert team of detectives and prosecutors.”
Periodic demonstrations have popped up across Montgomery County as advocates blasted the conduct of federal agents who’ve had a presence in the area for the last year amid an ongoing federal immigration crackdown that’s become a cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s second term in office.
“We are devoted to ensuring that residents are able to exercise their constitutional right to peacefully assemble and protest in order to make their voices heard,” Molloy and Steele said. “It also means that we will hold people accountable for interfering with law enforcement and we will keep families, businesses and property safe during times of unrest.”
Representatives for the Montgomery County Detective Bureau, sheriff’s office, and municipal police departments maintained they “do not enforce civil immigration orders” and “enforceable warrants must be signed by a judge.”
The agencies also stressed they have no affiliation or participation with the Immigration and Nationality Act’s Section 287(g).
According to ICE’s website, the action permits “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to delegate to state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight.”
Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Jamila Winder and Vice Chairman Neil Makhija, both Democrats, penned an op-ed last year pledging not to sign any such agreement. Advocates and area residents have continued calls for legislative policies to provide more stringent protections to undocumented immigrants.
Montgomery County Solicitor Benjamin Field had previously noted that Montgomery County’s 2A County status does not permit elected officials to “make rules for all the municipalities within our county,” but area residents have nonetheless returned to meeting after meeting for the past several months, continuing to ask officials to pass a Welcoming Policy. Advocates also called on each municipality to enact their own policies at the local level, of which several have done.
“If something is voted on, there’s permanence and accountability,” Julio Rodriguez, political director for the Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, said at a December 2025 press conference.
Advocates and area residents also urged officials to hold federal agents accountable for their actions, as politicians in Harrisburg have introduced related legislation. But law enforcement leaders in Montgomery County had a simple message: “The rule of law applies to everyone. No one is above the law,” Molloy and Steele said.
