Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González said Monday that the county won’t back down in the face of a Department of Justice lawsuit targeting a county law prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing masks when on duty.

An attempt to rein in federal immigration enforcement, the county’s anti-mask measure is similar to laws passed by the General Assembly and Prince George’s County. The administration on Thursday announced that it is suing all three.

“This county is gonna fight the hell out of it to ensure that we prevail,” Fani-González said during a media briefing Monday at the council office building in Rockville.

Justice Department lawyers argue that the laws improperly regulate how federal law enforcement officers carry out their jobs.

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The Unmask ICE Act, which the Montgomery County Council passed unanimously in April, prohibits federal, state and local law enforcement officers from wearing masks or face coverings while on duty in the county.

It’s one of several bills council members put forward to push back on the federal government’s increasingly aggressive deportation campaign.

Fani-González said she couldn’t comment on the specifics of the litigation, but her understanding is that the county can continue its enforcement in the meantime.

“If you’re in law enforcement and you believe that you’re doing the right thing, show your face. It’s that simple,” she said. “If you feel embarrassed about doing your job, then maybe you should get a new career.”

Fani-González also shared concerns about ICE’s plans to hire more than 5,000 additional officers. The New York Times reported Tuesday that most of the recruits are expected to be deportation officers.

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Fani-González said she believes a large number of officers will be sent to the Washington, D.C., area as part of this hiring surge.

She also pointed out the county’s limited authority over federal agencies.

“There’s no way I can tell the federal government to not bring an ICE agent to the community. It just doesn’t work that way,” she said. “The steps that we have taken as a county have been taken to ensure that [ICE is] not using our public resources.”

Maryland is one of eight states being sued over similar laws, according to the DOJ’s website, including California, New Jersey, New York and Virginia.

Banner reporter Pamela Wood contributed to this story.