TOWSON, Md. — This week, Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka introduced a pair of bills, called the "Trust Act", in the hopes to counteract the chilling effect ICE's efforts have had on immigrant populations.
"People are scared to go to their faith-based institution, their church. People in immigrant communities are scared to send their kids to school on some days. And people from immigrant communities are afraid to go to work and to me that's all unacceptable," Patoka said.
This comes months after Baltimore County signed a memorandum of understanding with ICE, removing it from a list of Sanctuary jurisdictions.
Councilman introduces "Trust Act" bill package to establish guardrails amid federal immigration crackdown
Currently, the County is required to notify DHS before they release someone with an immigration detainer or signed warrant from a judge.
"I think it sends the wrong message," Patoka said. "That's what inspired me."
As the son of Holocaust survivors, the councilman says the agency's aggressive measures have struck a reminiscent chord.
"It made me think that, whenever we see hate at that extreme we've got to do whatever we can," he said.
One bill would prohibit county employees from disclosing citizen status to third parties and establish guardrails with how local police can interact with ICE, limiting them to working on task forces limited to criminal, not immigration enforcement, investigations only.
An In Focus look at ICE's 287(G) program
Numbers from the Deportation Data Project show about a third of those arrested by ICE in the last year have no criminal record whatsoever.
A companion bill also would create an Office of Immigrant Affairs, which would in part track the number of requests received by immigration enforcement annually.
When these bills were introduced to council on Monday night, at least one person spoke out against them, preempting what Patoka believes will be a spirited debate in the months to come.
WMAR-2 News reached out to every councilman, hearing back only from District 5 Councilman David Marks who said in an email he's "likely opposed to both bills", but provided no further explanation.
Crisaly de los Santos, director of CASA Baltimore and Maryland called the bills "necessary" in a statement and urged Baltimore County to reassure immigrant community members that they are "essential and welcome."
Read her full statement below:
“Immigrant community members are brave to call Baltimore County home, to seek new opportunities, build businesses, raise families, and stay rooted in their communities. This legislative package affirms that Baltimore County can be a place where all families are safe, respected, and able to access government services, regardless of immigration status. These necessary bills establish clear protections, transparency, and accountability. They respond to the needs of immigrant families from Woodlawn to Owings Mills to White Marsh to Dundalk and beyond. Baltimore County must join our neighboring counties and reassure the immigrant community members that they are essential and welcome.”
Crisaly De Los Santos, CASA’s Baltimore/Central Maryland Director
Not included in the package of bills was a ban on masked law enforcement, though the idea had been previously floated by Patoka.
But he says it's not completely off the table, though it depends on how things go with these first two bills.
"I think the problem with ICE is that they're wearing masks. They've got heavy artillery, and their tactics are so aggressive, it's just way out of line," Patoka said.
Two public hearings have been scheduled, the first taking place on Tuesday, January 13.
