WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. – Political discourse across the United States continues to intensify, and officials on Maryland’s Eastern Shore are now part of that conversation.
Two recent social media posts from public officials in Wicomico County, one from a Salisbury City Council member and another from Wicomico County’s sheriff, are drawing attention for their profanity and emotional reactions tied to national immigration issues.
The posts followed specific incidents involving ICE in Wicomico County, as well as the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old American citizen who was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.
Good’s death quickly sparked emotional responses from political leaders across the country. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed the incident publicly just hours after the shooting.
“To the family, I’m so deeply sorry… to ICE, get the f*** out of Minneapolis,” said Frey.
Those emotions were echoed locally by Salisbury City Councilwoman Michele Gregory, who posted a video to Facebook using trending audio from social media.
Gregory said she decided to make the post after hearing Rigo Lopez's story.
The following is a transcript of that audio:
Just to be super duper clear for anybody coming to my page, f*** ICE, f*** Trump, f*** the cult, and if you have any problems with anything that I just said, f*** you, you’re not welcome here.
Gregory said she stands by the post and believes it reflects her constituents' views.
“My district is very heavily Democratic,” said Gregory. “The majority, very much does not support what is happening, does not support this administration,” said Gregory.
She also said her post, for the most part, has received positive feedback.
"I've received overwhelming support from many, many members of my district," said Gregory. "So this is something that, I feel I represent my constituents well, and others are able to feel how they would like to feel about. That's perfectly valid."
Following Gregory’s post, Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor released the following letter to the Salisbury community:
To the Residents of Salisbury,
Over the past week, the Mayor’s Office has received numerous requests for comment regarding Councilwoman Michelle Gregory’s recent vulgar remarks about ICE in our community. During my tenure, I have made every effort to avoid engaging in public criticism of individual members of Council. However, given the volume of inquiries and the absurdness of the post, I will offer the following:
1. The nature of Ms. Gregory’s comments is highly inappropriate. Such language on social media is unacceptable from anyone, and especially from a public official entrusted with representing the people of Salisbury.
2. Ms. Gregory was given an opportunity to address the matter at Monday night’s City Council meeting. Her response—characterized by deflection and a vague reference to “going through a tough time”—did not meaningfully acknowledge the seriousness of her remarks. Based on my past interactions with Ms. Gregory, this type of response is unfortunately consistent and does little to reassure the public of her maturity to hold office.
3. For too long, Ms. Gregory has been part of a small group in the community and on Council that has attempted to inject national political themes into local governance. Regardless of the topic, the focus has too often shifted away from the day-to-day responsibilities that the citizens of Salisbury expect us to prioritize. The pattern of casting unfounded accusations rather than working toward unity and progress must come to an end. This latest incident is a clear example of why.
As Mayor of the City of Salisbury, I am deeply disappointed that these comments are now associated with our community. While I fully recognize that people hold a wide range of views on immigration and ICE, Ms. Gregory’s remarks do not reflect the views of our residents—nor even the most extreme positions within the broader debate. Moreover, rhetoric of this nature contributes to the kind of heightened tensions that have led to tragic outcomes in other parts of the country, such as the recent events in Minnesota. We must not allow such divisions to take root here.
In closing, Salisbury has far more that unites us than divides us. I urge Ms. Gregory—and anyone who shares this approach—to refocus their energy on the constructive work before us. Our community deserves leadership grounded in respect, responsibility, and a commitment to moving Salisbury forward.
Separately, Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis also drew attention for a Facebook post he made regarding Good’s death.
At the bottom of a lengthy post, Lewis initially wrote, “I’m sorry folks, the kids are the true victims here, but the b**** got what she deserved.”
Lewis later edited the post. It now reads, “Their mother brought this tragedy upon herself.”
Lewis declined an interview request from WBOC, saying he did not want to “regurgitate any negativity or anything that would further divide our community.”