The battle over illegal immigration enforcement is no longer just taking place at the southern border; it’s happening in the courts as well. For years, states pushing sanctuary-style policies have insisted that limiting cooperation with ICE makes communities safer. But some law enforcement agencies disagree, arguing that progressive politics are hampering their ability to protect and serve their neighborhoods. Maryland sheriffs are fighting in court for their right to work alongside federal authorities on cases involving migrants.
Sheriffs Want to Work With ICE
Senate Bill 791, introduced by State Sen. Clarence Lam (D), would stop local authorities from honoring administrative detention requests issued by ICE agents for illegal immigrants already in custody. Instead, it would require law enforcement agencies to recognize only judicial warrants approved through the court system before holding someone for the feds. This didn’t go over well with the locals, as 17 of the Old Line State’s 23 sheriffs joined together to legally challenge the Community Trust Act.
“These prohibitions apply even to individuals convicted of serious felonies, sex offenses, or other crimes for which federal law mandates detention and removal,” the lawsuit states. Furthermore: “These prohibitions intentionally obstruct federal law enforcement and thwart Plaintiffs’ obligation to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Maryland’s blatant defiance of federal immigration law is not merely a political disagreement or passive abstention; it is deliberate, disruptive action that jeopardizes the public safety of all Americans.”
The lawsuit was filed by the DC-based Federation for American Immigration Reform on behalf of the sheriffs. “This legislation is not about trust, and it’s certainly not about supporting the law-abiding members of our community,” Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said at a news conference. “It is an intentional state-mandated obstruction of public safety.” He added that this law forces authorities to release criminal migrants back into neighborhoods and communities.
State Sen. Lam said the sheriffs had plenty of time to express their concerns, but instead “they held multiple press conferences to mislead the public,” as reported by Maryland Matters.
Blakeman Defies Hochul
Republican Bruce Blakeman is running for New York governor – but he’s also presently serving as a Nassau County executive, and he’s defiantly ignoring Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) new sanctuary-style state laws. “What’s going on up here in Albany is a disgrace to the people of this state,” Blakeman said outside the state capitol. The newest state regulations, in most cases, prevent law enforcement from cooperating or even contacting federal immigration authorities without a judicial order.
Hochul’s approval of the new rules kicked off a 90-day deadline for Blakeman to end his cooperation with ICE that currently gives the federal agency space in Nassau County’s jail. He vowed to take the matter to court and said several sheriffs have contacted him to express their willingness to join in the fight against the new measures.
Hochul, though, is not backing down. “My job is to protect people, but also not to allow the continued harassment that has occurred under the Trump administration,” she said. “So it’s got nothing to do with elections, because I’m not running away from this issue.”
If local law enforcement is prevented from working with ICE, who is held responsible when dangerous criminals are released back into communities? Blocking cooperation with federal authorities could transfer the burden of public-safety risks from law enforcement to average Americans.
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