BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee heard testimony on Thursday on a bill that would prohibit local law enforcement agencies from entering into agreements with federal immigration officials, and local law enforcement leaders are speaking out against the measure.

House Bill 1222, introduced by Del. Nicole Williams (D-Prince George’s), would effectively end the 287(g) program, which allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate some federal enforcement authorities to local officers. The bill would require any current 287(g) agreements to be cancelled by July 1.

Six Maryland counties have 287(g) agreements: Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, and Washington. Frederick and Harford County Sheriffs testified at Thursday’s hearing in defense of the program. Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler argued that local counties should be allowed to provide public safety as they see fit.

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said his jurisdiction has participated in the 287(g) program since 2008, removing 1,795 criminals, mostly described as dangerous and violent.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler stated that since his department signed a 287(g) agreement in 2014, ICE has declined to act in 35% of cases there.

However, opponents of the agreements argue that 287(g) agreements erode trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities. Nicholas Katz, general counsel for the nonprofit immigrant-rights organization CASA, based in Prince George’s County, said that “In this moment, Black and brown families don’t know if it’s safe to go to work, if its safe to walk their kids to school, if it’s safe to go to the hospital.”

Williams argues that deputies could still enforce the law just as effectively without 287(g) agreements.

“There are counties that do not have these formal agreements that still cooperate with ICE, still honor judicial warrants, still honor detainers when they are presented to them,” Williams said.

Under the current system, jail staff can check for any immigration enforcement actions against inmates. If there is a detainer, local officials will notify ICE.

House Bill 1222 would require local officials to give ICE at least 48 hours notice before releasing an immigrant inmate identified by federal authorities. The immigrant would be turned over when federal authorities arrived.

Sen. Chris West (R-Baltimore County) asked sheriffs if not having the 287(g) program would reduce their public safety efforts. Gahler said it would.

“If we lose the ability to have these agreements with ICE, we lose what comes along with it,” Gahler said. “Which is finding out whether these people are indeed in the country illegally, and recommendations from ICE in relation to national security.”

More in the video below.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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