Annapolis, MD – Maryland has terminated all existing cooperation agreements between local sheriff’s offices and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, prompting frustration from several county sheriffs who say the partnerships were a tool for public safety.
Gov. Wes Moore signed legislation Tuesday barring future participation in the federal 287(g) program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with ICE for jail enforcement and warrant services. The new law voided nine active contracts across the state.
Sheriffs from multiple counties had urged lawmakers to reject the measure, arguing the agreements provided training and clarity on immigration enforcement procedures. Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said the program helped officers navigate what he described as gray areas in immigration law.
Albert said his department entered a 287(g) agreement on March 10 last year and utilized jail enforcement and warrant service models. He said deputies completed eight hours of training related to immigration detainers and coordination with federal authorities.
Debate over role of local law enforcement
The 287(g) program permits ICE to delegate certain immigration enforcement functions to local officers. According to ICE, detainers request notification before an individual with a removal order is released and allow the agency to assume custody for up to 48 hours.
Supporters of the new Maryland law, including advocacy group We Are Casa, argued the agreements contributed to racial profiling and weakened community trust. Maryland became the eighth state to bar participation in 287(g) agreements on Feb. 17.
Moore said at the bill signing that the state would continue working with federal partners on violent offenders but would not blur the lines between state and federal authority. His office stated the law does not authorize the release of criminals, alter how agencies respond to ICE detainers, or prevent law enforcement from participating in joint criminal investigations unrelated to civil immigration enforcement.
- Gov. Wes Moore signed law ending nine ICE 287(g) agreements
- Sheriffs say program provided training and coordination tools
- State says agencies can still notify ICE and join task forces
Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler, whose office signed a 287(g) agreement in June 2020, publicly opposed the legislation. He said ending the agreements would limit ICE’s ability to coordinate with local detention centers.
Sheriffs consider internal policy changes
Albert said that even without a formal 287(g) agreement, his office intends to maintain communication with federal authorities and is reviewing internal policy changes to formalize procedures.
He compared immigration detainers to out-of-state warrants, noting that law enforcement agencies routinely coordinate across jurisdictions when individuals are wanted elsewhere. He said the structured partnership allowed ICE to assume custody in controlled environments such as detention centers.
Moore’s office emphasized that local and state law enforcement agencies retain the ability to collaborate with the federal government on criminal matters and task forces unrelated to civil immigration enforcement.
The policy shift places Maryland among a growing number of states limiting formal cooperation agreements with ICE, even as debate continues nationwide over immigration enforcement and the role of local sheriffs in federal operations.
