Several sheriffs in Maryland are making it clear they won’t be taking orders from Annapolis when it comes to public safety. As Democrat Gov. Wes Moore prepares to sign a bill banning official cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, local law enforcement leaders are pushing back hard.
The bill would eliminate so-called 287(g) agreements, which currently exist in eight Maryland counties. These agreements allow local officers either to flag illegal immigrants for ICE and hold them briefly or to serve warrants on jailed noncitizens. According to CBS News, Maryland currently uses both types.
Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees isn’t budging. “No politician or legislative body is going to tell me that I can’t communicate with another law enforcement agency on matters of public safety in my community,” he said. He added that the bill bans agreements but offers no alternative, so he plans to create a policy within his office to keep working with ICE anyway. Apparently, common sense is now considered rebellious.
Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. Jenkins was even more blunt, calling the move purely political. “The Democrats don’t want any cooperation with ICE. They don’t want any enforcement whatsoever,” he said, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Meanwhile, officials in Washington County passed a resolution backing the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and other law enforcement agencies, declaring their intent to support border enforcement and the integrity of the immigration system while treating all people with dignity and compassion. Funny how supporting the law now requires a formal declaration.
Moore tried to justify the ban by claiming ICE was putting “untrained and unaccountable agents” into communities and even “detaining five-year-olds.” That talking point, however, fell apart. The claim stemmed from a viral post by Rep. Ilhan Omar, which alleged ICE detained a child in Minnesota. In reality, ICE officers stayed with the child only because his illegal immigrant father fled during an arrest. Officers protected and sheltered the boy until he could be handed over to family. So much for the scare story.
As ICE continues enforcing immigration law nationwide, some states are moving in the opposite direction of Maryland. Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock recently announced that Texas encourages sheriffs to work with ICE, offering up to $140,000 in funding tied to participation in the 287(g) program, according to Breitbart News.
What’s happening in Maryland shows a clear divide: governors and lawmakers playing politics, and sheriffs focused on protecting their communities. These law enforcement leaders aren’t asking for drama—they’re asking for cooperation and the ability to do their jobs.
And in the end, that’s the real story: when politicians try to tie the hands of police, local sheriffs are standing up for public safety. Law, order, and accountability are still alive in Maryland’s counties—and that’s something Americans can feel good about.
