Democrats propose bill to end 287(g) ICE agreements in Maryland

Calling it "cruel...inhumane....and unacceptable," Maryland democratic lawmakers vowed to ban the practice of local police departments partnering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help in immigration enforcement.

Known as 287(g), local law enforcement officers are trained and certified by ICE to perform specific immigration-related duties, allowing them to identify and process individuals for deportation who have been arrested for other crimes.

Currently, eight counties in Maryland have 287(g) agreements - Allegany, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, St. Mary's, and Washington - which allow them to serve warrants and screen detainees.

A bill called the Maryland Values Act, proposed in the last legislative session, was designed to protect immigrants and included a ban on the 287(g) program.

The Senate amended the bill that passed in the House, removing the clause that banned 287 (g) contracts. The House adopted the new version, which limited ICE access to public facilities, like schools and churches, and protected immigrants' personal data.

To emphasize their position, the Maryland House Democrats posted a video on X Thursday evening showing ICE arrests and "vowing to fight to protect our immigrant communities."

In a statement, Senate President Bill Ferguson said now is the time to ban 287(g) agreements in Maryland, going on to say, "Recent months demonstrate that ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are operating with impunity, violating constitutional rights of American citizens and immigrants alike."

Ferguson is sponsoring the bill with Senator Karen Lewis Young (D-District 3, Frederick County), Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Senator Will Smith (D-District 20, Montgomery County), and House Judiciary Committee Chair Luke Clippinger (D-District 46, Baltimore City).

CASA Maryland, an immigrant rights organization, held a press conference launching their "Brave of US" campaign. It calls for "need for brave leadership in the state to protect immigrants against an authoritarian regime invading the state."

The chair of the Latino Caucuse in the General Assembly, Del. Ashanti Martinez (D- District 22, Prince George's County) spoke about sponsoring the bill to ban 287 (g) agreements in Maryland.

"This bill is about ensuring that every community here in the state of Maryland is seen, heard, and protected. That's what this legislation is about. This is about ensuring that our law enforcement is acting in the best interest of all of our communities throughout this entire state."

In an interview in April, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Galher reacted to 287(g) agreements not being banned, "It works to keep our community more safe by identifying those people who are committing criminal offenses in our community who shouldn't be in the country to start with and committing criminal offenses and if deemed necessary, removing them from our community."

This issue is personal for Sheriff Gahler. Two high-profile murders occurred in Harford County in the last three years, and both suspects were undocumented immigrants.

Rachel Morin, a mother of 5, was murdered near the Ma & Pa trail in August 2023. Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, was sentenced to life in prison in August 2025.

The other case involved Kayla Hamilton, a 20-year-old woman with autism who was raped and strangled to death inside her home in Aberdeen back in July 2022. The 17-year-old suspect was also illegally in the U.S. from El Salvador. He was sentenced to 70 years in prison in August 2024.

Sheriffs are already preparing to fight this new legislation in Annapolis. The 448th session of the General Assembly convenes in Annapolis on January 14, 2026.