U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detain an undocumented immigrant accused of a crime in a photo from 2019. Photo by Charles Reed/ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Marylanders overwhelmingly support the idea of local police working with federal immigration officials, according to a new poll that was seized on by conservative lawmakers who plan to push for such a change in state law.
The Republican lawmakers took the first step in that direction Tuesday, calling on Gov. Wes Moore to issue an executive order requiring corrections officials around the state to notify federal authorities when they expect to release a person subject to a detainer. They say that would improve public safety by cracking down on unauthorized immigrants who are also violent criminals.
“Per state law, they’re not allowed to hold a person for an administrative detainer,” Del. Matthew Morgan (R-St. Mary’s) said of local officials. An executive order to get around that law is “a very reasonable solution,” he said.