Wes Moore Bans Police Of ICE Cooperation

[ad_1] by Sharelle B. McNair February 20, 2026

Beneath the legislation, 9 sheriff’s workplaces within the state of Maryland might be pressured to chop ICE agreements, serving to brokers take individuals accused of being within the nation illegally into custody, instantly.

The nation’s sole Black governor, Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, is standing in opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) brokers, signing a legislation that bans native legislation enforcement companies from facilitating federal immigration arrests.

However will they adhere to the legislation?

The Washington Publish reported that beneath the Feb. 17 signed laws, 9 sheriff’s workplaces within the state of Maryland might be pressured to chop ICE agreements, serving to brokers take individuals accused of being within the nation illegally into custody instantly, together with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Workplace, which holds one of many nation’s longest-running 287(g) agreements. Moore cited the explanation behind the choice as ICE being an “unaccountable company with seemingly limitless sources.”

“We make a really clear assertion to our neighborhood that we imagine in your security,” the governor mentioned previous to signing.

“We imagine in ensuring that you will be protected from violent offenders, and in addition we imagine in ensuring that you're protected from unaccountable brokers as properly.”

Based on reporting, 287(g) agreements enable correctional officers to be educated to display people getting into a correctional facility for citizenship or immigration standing, to inform DHS of people suspected of being within the nation illegally, and to execute detainers and administrative warrants issued by DHS.

The laws is in crowded firm, as leaders in Virginia, Washington, Illinois, California, Oregon, New Jersey, Maine, Delaware, Connecticut, and New Mexico have signed comparable legal guidelines, however not everybody agrees with it.

Former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan claimed it received’t work as a result of legislation enforcement will “ignore” it, calling it an “overreach and overstep.”

“Yesterday, in my state, they only handed a invoice. Gov. Moore signed an emergency invoice to ban native legislation enforcement from cooperating with ICE.

And, you recognize, all of the native legislation enforcement officers are saying, ‘We’re going to disregard that as a result of we’re required to work with them,’” he mentioned, in line with The Hill.

“So I get the entire, you recognize, overreach and overstep and doing the fallacious issues, however, you recognize, after they have violent criminals that they’re holding in jail that ICE desires to be detained, they, you recognize, they shouldn’t be let again on the road. So there are two sides to this argument.”

Some sheriff’s workplaces appear to be siding with Hogan, with Wicomico County Sheriff Michael Lewis labeling the legislation as a betrayal.

“It's the largest betrayal to legislation enforcement and public security that I've ever seen,” Lewis mentioned.

He continued to the touch on the continued efforts of immigration advocates and leaders of ‘Abolish ICE,’ who're doing nothing.

“And whether or not you imagine it or not, the abolishment of the 287(g) program isn't the abolishment of ICE. They’re going nowhere. The truth is, they’re going to accentuate their efforts in Sanctuary states,” he continued.

“Mark my phrases. You will notice a dramatic enhance within the presence of ICE on this state.”

Nevertheless, they appear to have issues twisted. Moore, who has been outspoken in opposition to ICE and the Trump administration since Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego García was detained and mistakenly deported to El Salvador in 2025, didn't say the state will cease working with ICE, however the legislation will put boundaries in place. “This invoice attracts a transparent line: we are going to proceed to work with federal companions to carry violent offenders accountable, however we refuse to blur the strains between state and federal authority in ways in which undermine the belief between legislation enforcement and the communities they serve,” Moore mentioned.

“Maryland is a neighborhood of immigrants, and that’s certainly one of our biggest strengths as a result of this nation is incomplete with out each certainly one of us.”