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The recent detention of a Montgomery Village man by federal immigration authorities is a setback to efforts by county police to build trust with immigrants. The case also calls to attention the fact that Congress has failed to enact comprehensive federal immigration reforms that could help local enforcement efforts.

The problem is related to the Montgomery County Police Department's policy on its relationship with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Released in February, it attempts to strike a balance between law enforcement bodies that aggressively pursue illegal immigrants and those that are more lenient. In requiring officers to report to ICE all people arrested for certain violent offenses, the county's policy was able to neutralize potential claims of discrimination, and was praised by elected officials and accepted by immigrant advocacy groups.

The snag with the recent detention is that court records indicate the man who ended up under federal custody had not committed any crimes that would prompt a report to ICE. This has raised questions about how he showed up on ICE's radar and the county police are investigating.

Gustavo Andrade, senior manager of organizing with Casa de Maryland, said incidents like this absolutely affect the immigrant community's sentiment. "People talk, and they say the police can't be trusted to follow their own policies."

It is unclear as to whether any violation occurred, but if that is the perception, Police Chief J. Thomas Manger will have a tough time rebuilding the goodwill he has generated in the past. Another obstacle Manger points to is that recent budget cuts trimmed his community outreach program by a dozen officers.

"The damage these incidents do is not irreparable and it's not complete," Manger said. "We have to rebuild."

Manger was right in issuing a memo the day after the man was detained by ICE. The memo reminded officers not to refer anyone to ICE solely on the basis of immigration status and noted the "need to maintain the trust and confidence of our community." Critics have suggested the memo and the policy violate federal law by restricting contact with ICE. Manger maintains the policy does not violate the law, noting that officers often work with ICE, and the policy helps prevent racial discrimination claims.

What will help rebuild relations is reform at the federal level, but that isn't likely to happen for some time. Until then, Andrade says, although immigrants always keep hope that trust will be returned, incidents like this help substantiate deeply-embedded fears.