BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Baltimore County is no longer on a federal list of sanctuary cities after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with ICE to collaborate on immigration enforcement.
The Justice Department published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions on August 5. Baltimore County was the only one from this area that made the list.
The list was updated following work between the Administration and the County – the second removal since the list was published.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement, “Despite restrictions from state leadership, Baltimore County has shown a willingness to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. This is a small step toward restoring public safety and we appreciate the county’s commitment to updating its policies.”
DOJ designates jurisdictions as "sanctuary" if they impose policies that "materially impede enforcement of federal immigration statutes and regulations."
At the time, Baltimore County denied being a "sanctuary jurisdiction."
"We believe our inclusion on this list was in error," Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier said in a statement. "Our Office of Law is currently contacting the Department of Justice to correct this mistake."
The August list was a revision from an initial list released in May, with eight counties and 10 cities from Maryland, the feds say, "undermine the rule of law and endanger the lives of Americans and Law Enforcement."
WMAR asked the DOJ in August why it removed all the original Maryland jurisdictions from the list, and they said, "the list is thoroughly reviewed on a regular basis, meaning jurisdictions could be added or removed at any time, depending on their compliance with 'documented laws, ordinances, and executive directives."
The Office of the Baltimore County Executive released the following statement:
“Baltimore County government continues to prioritize public safety while also respecting the constitutional rights of all residents. A recently signed memorandum of understanding between the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and Baltimore County memorializes operational procedures developed and instituted in 2024, which provides the federal government appropriate notice when releasing detainees from County custody.
This agreement makes no changes to the Department of Corrections’ standard practices and aligns Baltimore County with peer jurisdictions throughout the state of Maryland.”
Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, and Harford County Sheriff's Offices do assist ICE, by participating in the 287(g) program, which deputizes state and local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law.
