ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed legislation effectively banning local governments and police from entering official agreements with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Senate Bill 245 and House Bill 444 passed both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly last week. The emergency bills prohibit the state, local agencies, and county sheriffs from entering 287(g) agreements with ICE and require any existing partnerships to be abandoned by July 2026.
287(g) agreements allow local law enforcement to perform certain immigration functions under ICE’s oversight. The agreements have seen a recent nationwide expansion under President Donald Trump’s sweeping efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.
Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano announced in late January that the county would become the latest in Maryland to partner with ICE under a Warrant Service Officer model of 287(g). Seven other counties in Maryland have entered the official agreements with ICE.
In response to SB245 and HB444 passing through the legislature, Giordano called on Governor Moore to veto the bills, arguing they undermined public safety. Moore’s office showed no intention of vetoing them and the governor publicly said he looked forward to signing the legislation.
Moore officially signed the legislation into law on Tuesday, Feb. 17, as immigration rights advocacy groups gathered for the signing in Annapolis.
(Office of Governor Wes Moore)
Republicans in Annapolis swiftly condemned the legislation on Tuesday.
“The Maryland Democrats number one goal for this session is to protect criminal illegals” said Maryland Freedom Caucus member, Delegate Lauren Arikan. “Baltimore ICE arrests more child predators than any other field office in the nation. While the rest of the state can barely afford their outrageous energy bills, Democrats are making sure more child rapists get out of jail.”
Here in Wicomico County, Executive Giordano has confirmed the county would be withdrawing from the 287(g) agreement in accordance with the new law.
"The relationship may change a bit, you know, where we obviously don't have that formal agreement," Giordano told WBOC on Tuesday. "But, we will still try to work with that federal agency along with any federal agency as best as we can."
Giordano said any continued work, albeit in a less formal manner, could look similar to the system that was in place prior to Wicomico's 287(g) agreement.
"We had people in our correctional facility, when their time was up, whether it was, their case was adjudicated, they made bond, whatever the case may be, if there was a detainer then we just contacted ICE," said Giordano. "It was up to ICE at that point in time to go ahead and detain that individual, where we have no parts of it. So, it'll be probably something along those lines."
In a letter to the 287(g) Field Program Manager, Giordano notified the Department of Homeland Security of the county's intent to withdraw.
"We do so under protest and with profound frustration," Giordano writes. "Wicomico County entered the 287(g) program based on evidence, operational experience, and our fundamental duty to protect the residents we serve. The implementation across the state has been lawful, measured, and limited to individuals already within the correctional system. The program worked. The outcomes were clear. The public safety benefit was real."
The County Executive's letter in full has been attached to this article:
Celebrating the sweeping ban of 287(g) agreements is the Wicomico County NAACP.
"This is the celebration that we're having: that our law enforcement will not be aligned with an unaccountable agency," said Monica Brooks, President of the Wicomico County NAACP.
Still, Brooks isn't thrilled that Giordano, along with a handful of sheriff's across the state, have said they will continue to work with ICE.
"They believe in what ICE is doing, they even believe in the way that they're doing it," said Brooks. "They're okay with it, and they want to find a way around the system to continue to do what they want to do."