Jeffrey Gahler cited the killings of Rachel Morin and Kayla Hamilton in warning about the law’s potential public safety risks
A Maryland sheriff is warning that the state’s new sanctuary law could put dangerous illegal immigrants back on the streets and leave more American families mourning crimes he says could have been prevented.
“It’s just a matter of time,” Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told Fox News Digital, warning that the restrictions will lead to more crime and more victims.
Gahler delivered the blunt warning after testifying before a House Judiciary subcommittee about Maryland’s restrictions on cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. He is also leading 16 fellow sheriffs, representing two-thirds of the state, in a lawsuit challenging the Community Trust Act.
The 40-year law enforcement veteran said his greatest fear is that the law will force correctional officers to release an illegal immigrant from jail even after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has flagged that person as a public safety or national security threat.