Stop Maryland Sheriffs from Defying State Law to Assist ICE

I am demanding immediate action and accountability regarding the 17 Maryland sheriffs challenging—and potentially defying—our state’s laws limiting local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement: Craig Robertson (Allegany), Ricky Cox (Calvert), Donald Baker (Caroline), James DeWees (Carroll), Scott Adams (Cecil), James Phillips (Dorchester), Charles Jenkins (Frederick), Bryson Meyers (Garrett), Jeffrey Gahler (Harford), Dennis Hickman (Kent), Gary Hofmann (Queen Anne’s), Steven Hall (St. Mary’s), Ronald Howard (Somerset), Joseph Gamble (Talbot), Brian Albert (Washington), Michael Lewis (Wicomico), and Matthew Crisafulli (Worcester). These sheriffs were elected to enforce Maryland law, not treat it as optional whenever it conflicts with their personal politics. Filing a lawsuit does not suspend the Community Trust Act, overturn Maryland’s prohibition against 287(g) agreements, or authorize a sheriff to disregard either law. Unless a court orders otherwise, every one of these officials remains legally obligated to comply. These sheriffs claim their actions protect public safety, but their defiance is itself a threat to public safety and to the communities they swore to serve. When people fear that calling local law enforcement could expose them, their relatives, witnesses, or victims to ICE, crimes go unreported. Witnesses stop cooperating. Survivors of domestic violence and exploitation become afraid to seek protection. Parents hesitate to call for help, and families withdraw from schools, hospitals, courts, and other public institutions. That makes every Maryland community less safe. This also damages Maryland’s economy. When workers are detained or too frightened to report to work, Maryland businesses lose employees, reduce production, shorten operating hours, delay projects, and struggle to provide essential goods and services. Labor shortages and disrupted supply chains increase costs for employers, and those costs are ultimately passed on to Maryland families through higher prices. The state and local governments also lose income, sales, and payroll-tax revenue while taxpayers bear the additional costs of disrupted families, litigation, emergency services, and economic instability. This harms all Marylanders—not only immigrant families. Every resident depends upon trustworthy law enforcement, functioning businesses, a stable workforce, affordable goods and services, effective investigations, constitutional policing, responsible use of taxpayer resources, and public officials who respect the rule of law. Sheriffs who place their political allegiance above Maryland law undermine public safety, economic stability, and confidence in the entire justice system. Recent reports of ICE detaining workers in Southern Maryland raise urgent questions about whether local personnel, vehicles, facilities, databases, communications, or taxpayer-funded resources are being used to assist federal immigration operations unlawfully. Marylanders should not have to wait for another family to be torn apart—or another local business to suffer—before your administration determines what these sheriffs are doing. I demand that you and Attorney General Anthony Brown act now to: Immediately investigate all 17 sheriffs and their agencies for compliance with the Community Trust Act and Maryland’s prohibition against 287(g) participation. Determine whether they have provided ICE with personnel, vehicles, facilities, records, release information, database access, transportation, communications, or any other public resources prohibited by Maryland law. Issue immediate preservation demands for all communications between these offices, ICE, DHS, and other federal agencies. Require each sheriff to publicly disclose any assistance provided to federal immigration authorities since these laws took effect. Seek emergency injunctive relief against any sheriff who is refusing or preparing to refuse compliance. Impose every administrative, civil, and criminal consequence supported by the evidence. Pursue suspension or removal through every lawful constitutional process available when willful misconduct, abuse of office, or violations of Maryland law are established. There must be consequences. An elected sheriff cannot declare himself above the law simply because he carries a badge and dislikes the judgment of Maryland’s elected legislature. Any sheriff who deliberately abuses public authority to help federal agents deprive people of their liberty without judicial process demonstrates neither the integrity nor the basic human decency required of someone entrusted to protect the public. Governor Moore, Maryland needs more than statements. We need enforcement, transparency, and accountability now. Make an example of any sheriff who violates our laws, abuses taxpayer resources, endangers our communities, or contributes to economic harm that every Maryland family will be forced to pay for. Anything less tells every law-enforcement official in Maryland that defiance carries no consequences. No one is above Maryland law—not ICE, not the president, and certainly not these 17 county sheriffs.