ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland's Community Trust Act limits ICE cooperation but faces backlash from local law enforcement leaders.
Legislation sitting on Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's desk that limits local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is pitting local law enforcement leaders against the state's General Assembly.
The Community Trust Act passed the legislature in the final hours of the session in response to increased ICE enforcement under the Trump administration.
Local sheriffs warn the legislation could make communities less safe and threaten federal partnerships, while supporters stand behind the bill.
"This whole 90 day was nothing but a pro-criminal rally in Annapolis, and sadly that's what our legislators have seemed to focus on," Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said.
"I think just at the end of the day this legislation is about ensuring that the spirit of the 287g agreement that was passed into law earlier this year is upheld," Sen. Clarence Lam said.
A state fiscal analysis of the bill says federal funding could decrease significantly if the legislation is found to violate federal law.
"I think that we're already seeing, right, funds that are being taken away at the federal level towards the state," CASA Organizing Director Alex Vazquez said.
"I don't think this state law is illegal because it doesn't contradict any federal laws or statutes that are in place currently," Lam said. "I think if we as a state were to only act in a way that was too cautious because of the loss of potential federal funding, we would not be able to get anything done," Lam added.
Gahler is worried about the impact the legislation could have on joint task forces and the safety of his community.
"We have gone so off the deep end. We now have legislators in Annapolis saying we shouldn't communicate with our federal partners," Gahler said.
The bill could cause people at several pretrial facilities in Baltimore to be handed over to ICE without being convicted. There are five facilities in the city like this, but only one is protected. The legislation also does not make clear that someone has to be convicted for ICE to be contacted.
"We're very confident that this language as we're in will protect as many people as possible, but it really is up to us to ensure that we're also doing the work to hold different correctional facilities accountable as well," Vazquez said.
The bill is currently in the legal review process by the governor's office. Moore has to sign or veto the legislation within 30 days of it hitting his desk.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
