BALTIMORE — Baltimore activists are condemning what they call excessive force by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers following a Christmas Eve shooting that wounded a local landscaping worker.
WATCH: Baltimore group protests ICE shooting, seeks policy changes
The Baltimore People's Power Assembly organized a protest on Monday against ICE, demanding state leaders end cooperation agreements between federal immigration agents and local police departments.
"It's crucial that we are out here. I mean, obviously we've, we're very dedicated, we're out here in freezing winds, but that is just our duty," said Andrew Mayton, organizer with the People's Power Assembly.
The Department of Homeland Security says the officers involved in the Christmas Eve shooting acted in self-defense. But an attorney representing the passenger disputes that claim, saying the facts raise serious questions about the agency's version of events.
Advocates argue ICE has no authority to act as local law enforcement and say this shooting is an example of racial profiling and excessive force.
"This is sloppy law enforcement people that support law enforcement should be ashamed of the kind of actions that ice are doing. Trained officers, sworn officers should be trained to de-escalate situations, not put more people in danger than need be," said Mayton.
The group is calling on Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland General Assembly to step in.
They want the state to end all cooperation agreements between ICE and local police departments, including the 287(G) and Criminal Alien Program agreements, which allow local law enforcement to work directly with federal immigration agents.
"Ice is running off a budgets that has skyrocketed in the last could of years that could be used for housing, it could be used for education, it could be used for food programs, job programs, ice just needs to be abolished altogether and the money should be spent elsewhere," Mayton said.
The Baltimore People's Power Assembly says those agreements violate constitutional and human rights protections and should be terminated immediately. The group says they will continue pressuring state leaders until those agreements are ended.
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