Maryland County Reverses Sanctuary Policy in Wake of Tragedy, Pledges Enhanced Cooperation With ICE

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent detains an illegal immigrant in a file photograph. John Moore/Getty Images

In a significant policy reversal, Montgomery County, Maryland has pledged to strengthen its collaboration with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a move that underscores a new phase in local-federal law enforcement relations.

Various states and local governments have implemented measures that restrict their collaboration with ICE concerning deportation activities or the disclosure of data that would facilitate ICE apprehensions, positioning themselves as safe havens or “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants in the United States.

Marc Elrich, the Democratic County Executive of Maryland’s most populous county, which sits just across the border between Maryland and the District of Columbia, signed an executive order (pdf) during his first term in 2019 to declare the county a safe haven for illegal immigrants.

At the time, the order made official the policy of prohibiting county employees from coordinating with immigration officers with the purpose of detaining illegal immigrants, according to D.C. outlet WAMU.

“Enforcing immigration law is the sole responsibility of the federal government of the United States,” Mr. Elrich said at the time, according to the outlet. “It is not in the interest of Montgomery County to utilize its limited resources to facilitate the enforcement of civil immigration law.”

The policy reversal comes after a 2-year-old boy was killed just yards from the Montgomery County line by a repeat offender lacking legal status that had been ordered for deportation in 2022.

After he failed to leave the country, he was arrested at least one more time prior to the murder in 2023 for theft, according to Montgomery County court records. He was officially indicted for the murder of the child on Feb. 29, according to the records reviewed by The Epoch Times.

The reversal also follows recent criticisms from ICE regarding the county’s previous stance on immigration detainers and signals a more cooperative approach in handling certain criminal cases involving noncitizens.

A Productive Dialogue

The pivot came after Mr. Elrich and Earl Stoddard, the Assistant County Administrator in charge of public safety, extended an olive branch to ICE by inviting Darius Reeves, the ICE Baltimore Field Office Director, for discussions.

The meeting, held on Feb. 27 was a response to public grievances aired by Mr. Reeves about the county’s handling of violent offenders, which he described as a practice of “recycling” those targeted for deportation back into the community.

The dialogue appears to have broken ground, with both parties expressing optimism about future cooperation, according to local CBS affiliate WUSA9.

According to Mr. Stoddard, the discussions were fruitful, paving the way for smoother coordination between Montgomery County and ICE, especially in cases involving convicted violent and sex offenders.

“At the end of the day, the County Executive agrees that the individuals who committed these serious and often violent crimes should face the consequences not only of their crimes, but also should be subject to the deportation orders that they’re facing,” Mr. Stoddard said, according to the outlet.

Recent Successes

The talks between Montgomery County and ICE have already led to tangible outcomes.

On March 11, the Montgomery County Detention Center honored two ICE detainers by transferring custody of two people charged with child sex crimes. This action reflects the county’s reversal, established during the Feb. 27 agreement, to cooperate in the apprehension and removal of violent noncitizen offenders from community spaces.

Mr. Reeves lauded the newfound cooperation.

“We are extremely happy to be working with our law enforcement partners in Montgomery County toward safer neighborhoods,” Mr. Reeves said. He emphasized the importance of removing egregious offenders, particularly those charged with sexual crimes against minors, from the streets of Montgomery County.

ICE Detainers and Their Role in Public Safety

The use of ICE detainers is a critical tool in the agency’s public safety strategy. These requests are made to state or local law enforcement agencies to hold a removable noncitizen for up to 48 hours beyond their release date, allowing ICE to take custody for deportation purposes.

This practice aims to focus enforcement resources on noncitizens involved in criminal activity, enhancing safety for law enforcement personnel, the people in question, and the wider community.

Detainers also play a vital role in ensuring the direct transfer of noncitizens from local to federal custody, reducing the risk of reoffending and conserving government resources by obviating the need for at-large enforcement actions.

Future Directions

As Montgomery County and ICE embark on the newly cooperative venture, more meetings are anticipated to iron out the operational details, according to local outlets.

The commitment to work together signals a significant shift in the county’s approach to immigration enforcement and reflects a broader willingness to address public safety concerns through enhanced interagency collaboration.

By prioritizing the removal of people who pose a threat to community safety, Montgomery County is now allowing ICE to do their job in safeguarding the wellbeing of residents and upholding the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.