MD 2026 SB 245 Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement Agreements – Prohibition (Letter of Opposition)
Attn:
Maryland Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee
2 East Miller Senate Office Building
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Chairman/ Senator William C. Smith Jr. , LD 20
Vice Chair / Senator Jeff Waldstreicher, LD 18
Hello Chairman / Senator Smith & Vice Chair / Senator Waldstreicher:
We respectfully write to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in “Strong Opposition” regarding the proposed legislation MD 2026 SB 245 Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement Agreements – Prohibition.
Over the past 15 now going on 16 years, since October of 2010 when then Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley famously coined the phrase “New Americans” for undocumented immigrants in the State. The debate over the issue of illegal immigration in Maryland has been going on in this state pretty “intensively” ..
Since that time the State of Maryland has gone “big” on the issue of illegal immigration largely influenced by the organization CASA. With the dream act, drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants, and “Sanctuary Cites & Counties” along with the State have “handcuffed” State and Local enforcement from working with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the enforcement of immigration laws in the State.
The results of these policies have had a major impact on the States Public Safety, Education, and Economically. Where MS 13 has set up shop and has committed horrible crimes in Counties like Montgomery, Prince Georges, and Baltimore City. Maryland’s educational standards have been majorly lowered, despite massive tax and fee increases in the State to largely fund education, and currently the State is facing a $1.5 Billion Dollar budget shortfall the irony of that is “beyond peril” ..
The ultimate example of Marylands “Sanctuary Policies” gone bad. On August 5th 2023, in Harford County, MD Rachel Morin a 38 year old mother of 5 went jogging in Bel Air Maryland, and ended up being raped and murdered by an illegal immigrant Victor Martinez-Hernandez, Martinez Hernandez had a long record of violent criminal behavior. The murder of Rachel Morin may be the most horrifying murder in Maryland by an illegal immigrant in the last 15 years by someone who had no business being in the US or the State of Maryland.
ICE had an issue in Anne Arundel County on Christmas Eve of 2025 where someone was shot during an ICE operation, however the individuals reportedly came at the agents with their car. Anne Arundel leaders don’t wish to “coordinate” with ICE making its harder for them to operate in a County like that coined a “Sanctuary County” . Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins a defender of the 287g program has said better communication, coordination, and cooperation with ICE can help “mitigate” situations like when happened in Anne Arundel County…
It has been reported in the case of Rene Good in Minnesota she did receive “Anti Ice Training” so she was interfering in a “Law Enforcement Operation”…
Since the Trump Administrations coming back to power in January of 2025, they have gone in a different direction on immigration than, the Biden Administration, especially on illegal immigration. Stronger enforcement. The State / Moore’s Administration’s response through Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has been to “Resist” at every turn with “threatening memo’s” to State and Local law enforcement and endless lawsuits against the Trump Administration….
In closing ICE is a federal law enforcement agency, and completely “handcuffing” local and State law enforcement from completely coordinating and communicating with them to enforce immigration law, is irresponsible and reckless to the public safety of millions of “law abiding and legal citizens” here in the State of Maryland, so for all these reasons and for the memory of Rachel Morin, who’s name should never be forgotten. We respectfully ask for an unfavorable report, for MD 2026 SB 245 Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement Agreements – Prohibition, let’s not Make Maryland a ” Full On” Sanctuary State for illegal immigration….
Thank You & Respectfully,
Dan