Latest news with #SensitiveLocationsAct
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers pass watered-down immigrant protections bill in final minutes of 2025 session
Ninfa Amador-Hernandez, left, and Cathryn Jackson of CASA talk with Sen. Will Smith (D-Montgomery) about a package of immigrant protection bills Monday. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) After it was stalled for most of the day, a watered-down package of protections for Maryland's immigrant community was rushed through by lawmakers with just minutes to spare before the midnight end of the legislative session Monday. The version of House Bill 1222 that passed the House and Senate on mostly party-line votes includes language to help 'sensitive locations' like churches and schools decide how to respond if immigration agent show, and it includes some privacy protections for migrant data. What it does not include is language from the original House version of the bill that would require counties to work with federal immigration agencies in some respects, but would prohibit participation in so-called 287(g) agreements, in which local police can essentially act as immigration agents. Migrant groups, who were at the State House all day monitoring the progress of the bills, said the 287(g) prohibition was their primary goal in the face of increased immigration enforcement by President Donald Trump's Department of Homeland Security. 'It was shameful the way it went down. We knew what Trump was doing on immigration since day one,' said Ninfa Amador-Hernandez, policy analyst with the immigrant advocacy group CASA. 'We're seeing Democrats not act in protecting immigrant families.' But with the clock ticking toward midnight Monday, Del. Jazz Lewis (D-Prince George's) said the legislature was at risk of failing to pass any protections, so House members agreed to give in to the Senate and strike out the prohibitions on 287(g) agreements. U.S. Supreme Court pauses order to return wrongly deported Maryland man 'Sometimes having a pressure cooker of a deadline to move things – we were unsure if we would get it done anyway,' Lewis said. 'We think it (the amended bill) is balanced.' HB1222 initially prohibited Maryland counties from entering into 287(g) agreements to work cooperatively with agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That was the bill's only function when it was introduced back in early February. In the last-minute amendment, the bill includes language from another bill called the Sensitive Locations Act, which would require the Attorney General to 'provide guidance to state agencies and others to rules regarding immigration enforcement,' said Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City), the chair of the House Judiciary Committee. The bill also prevents the sale of personal records and other data to third parties, he said, though the amendment text is not yet publicly available. But Cathryn Jackson, policy director for CASA, said the prohibition on 287(g) agreements would have had the 'greatest impact' for Maryland's immigrant population. '287g is such a direct funnel into the deportation machine. It is the most direct way that we are carrying out Trump's agenda in Maryland,' Jackson said. 'I think it is extremely heartbreaking that the immigration bills have not been prioritized,' she said. 'That is leaving the lives of so many people up to chance right now.' CASA members are blaming the failure of 287(g) on the Senate, even though Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) had said earlier Monday that 'there is a limit' to what states can do when it comes to immigration enforcement with the federal government. 'We are doing whatever we can in this time frame. The challenge is – it is the federal government and there is a limit to which we have the ability to impact,' Ferguson told reporters. 'I can't even fathom the fear that a number of our neighbors are feeling because of what's happening with the Trump administration,' he said. 'It is fundamentally unbelievable that we've created this toxic environment around people who are investing in our communities, who are part of our workforce, our kids are in school together.' Gov. Wes Moore (D) said that the state would always cooperate with federal law enforcement, but disagrees with how the Trump administration is overstepping due process for immigration enforcement. 'We are never not going to cooperate with our federal partners to get violent criminals off of the streets – period, full stop,' Moore told reporters. 'We have to make sure our communities are safe … I believe very deeply that you can both make sure you're keeping your streets safe and also make sure you're honoring the Constitution at the same time.' – Maryland Matters reporter Bryan P. Sears contributed to this report. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
CBS News
27-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Some Maryland sheriffs oppose bill that would end local partnerships with ICE
Members of the law enforcement community in Maryland joined the Maryland Sheriffs' Association Thursday afternoon, rallying against a proposed bill that would limit state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement. Most notably, the Maryland Values Act , one of three bills in immigrant rights group CASA's legislative package, would prohibit new 287(g) agreements between local agencies and federal immigration authorities. According to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson, three counties in Maryland have an agreement with immigration agencies -- Harford, Frederick, and Cecil counties. Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins called the bill a "terrible and dangerous piece of legislation." Jenkins said it will encourage criminals who have illegally entered the United States to establish themselves in Maryland. Jenkins said Frederick County has the oldest 287(g) program in the history of the United States. "Since 2008, we've removed 1,795 criminals - many of them dangerous felons. We've removed them because of our partnership with ICE and the 287 (g) program," Jenkins said. Opponents of the Maryland Value Act say the measure would release dangerous criminals back into the community, since it would require existing 287(g) agreements to be terminated by July 1, 2025. "I don't think there's anyone who would argue that making sure criminals do not get released back into the community is not a public safety issue," said Matt Elliston, Maryland's ICE deputy assistant director. Elliston said "sanctuary" communities, or jurisdictions that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal law enforcement in immigration cases, are dangerous. Officials in sanctuary jurisdictions such as San Francisco have defended the protections for immigrants, saying that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes. Some supporters of sanctuary laws have also said that threatening undocumented immigrants with deportation erodes the trust between the community and law enforcement. Deputy Jenkins said it's an argument he said he disagrees with and hears "all the time". "The distrust of law enforcement comes with the people from the countries they're coming from," Jenkins said. "They can't trust law enforcement in the countries where they were born and raised. The real fear is not law enforcement, the real fear in these communities are the criminals that are in these communities." The Maryland Values Act has already passed the House. The other two bills, a part of CASA's legislative package -- the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act and the Maryland Data Privacy Act -- have each passed the Senate. The 287(g) program, named after Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deputize selected state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law. According to the ICE website , the 287(g) program operates in three models. The Jail Enforcement Model (JEM) allows local officers to identify and process removable aliens with criminal charges, while the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) program permits officers to serve administrative warrants on aliens in their jails. The Task Force Model (TFM) serves as a "force multiplier for law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during their routine police duties," the ICE website reads. Since entering office, President Trump has prioritized a crackdown on illegal immigration. On January 20, Mr. Trump issued an executive order, "Protecting the American People Against Invasion" requiring ICE "to authorize State and local law enforcement officials, as the Secretary of Homeland Security determines are qualified and appropriate, under section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to the maximum extent permitted by law." In a memo issued a day later, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed prosecutors and law enforcement to consider charging state and local officials who attempt to impede Mr. Trump's immigration efforts. Maryland, along with 11 other states, joined a lawsuit challenging Mr. Trump's order, alleging that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws. Immigrant rights advocates and other supporters of the bill say 287(g) agreements extend ICE's reach, target those with low-level offenses, and heighten the risk of racial profiling. "No person is gonna call the police if that police officer is also an ICE agent. What we wanna do is make sure that people feel confident calling 911, making sure they're reaching out if they're victims of crime," said Cathryn Jackson, CASA's public policy director. "Also, just collaborating with police as a whole." Officials denied that 287(g) programs are discriminatory or targeting low-level criminal offenses. Elliston shared that in the last five years in Prince George's and Howard counties, 600 immigration detainer holds were lodged. Of those, 50 were for homicide, and 15 were for traffic-related offenses. Mr. Trump's immigration crackdown has had a significant impact on Marylanders. Members of immigrant communities expressed fear of mass deportations after the president revoked a policy that prohibited immigration arrests near schools, places of worship, and other sensitive locations. Maryland lawmakers and immigration advocates have shown support for several proposed bills to protect immigrants, including the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act and the Maryland Data Privacy Act, which aim to limit ICE's access to certain locations and information. Immigration advocacy groups like CASA have been pushing for legislation to protect immigrant communities and protesting against what they claim are inhumane conditions in ICE detention facilities.
CBS News
19-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Maryland advocates rally in support of bills aimed at immigration protection rights
Maryland immigration advocates rallied in front of the State House on Wednesday in support of a bill aimed at protecting the state's immigrant communities from President Donald Trump's policies. The Maryland Data Privacy Act Video, one of three bills that the immigrant-rights group CASA listed in its legislative agenda this session, had its first committee hearing on Wednesday. The legislation aims to make it so federal agents enforcing federal immigration law can't get sensitive and personal information from state databases unless they have a warrant from a state or federal judge. . @CASAforall is pushing for support for the Maryland Data Privacy Act/SB0977, one of 3 bills it's supporting this session that aims to bolster protections for immigrants. The bill has its 1st committee hearing in less than an hour. — Dennis Valera (@dennisreports) February 19, 2025 State Sen. Clarence Lam, The bill's sponsor, said this is a follow-up bill he passed during Trump's first term in the White House. The two other bills in CASA's legislative agenda -- the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act and the Maryland Values Act -- have their first committee hearings on Thursday. Rallying in support Immigration advocates held signs and spoke out in support of immigration protection rights ahead of the bill's hearing with the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Wednesday. Alex Vazquez, CASA's Director of Organizing, read an account of one of the group's members when private data was used by federal agents to find them. "As I stood there in handcuffs, one of the agents casually admitted how they found me," Vazquez read. "They had used Maryland's [Motor Vehicle Administration's] database to track my location." Protecting state data Federal agents are now barred from accessing MVA data due to a bill Lam passed in 2021. But now he wants to expand that to all state databases. Lam said this bill is even more important now because of the recent actions by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. A federal judge ruled against a group of 14 Democratic state attorneys general that tried to block DOGE and Elon Musk from accessing data systems and making personnel decisions at various federal agencies. "What we're incredibly concerned about is the federal government coming into our state and trying to access our state's information, where we have built a level of trust with our we want to continue," Lam said. Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman testified in support of the bill to the committee, saying immigrants may start avoiding giving their personal information to the state. She adds that could lead to a reduction in tax revenue, among other impacts. "In 2022 alone, [immigrants] contributed $5.3 billion in state and local taxes, and over $6 billion to social services programs like Social Security and Medicaid," Lierman said. Clarity and safety concerns During the committee hearing, State Sen. Chris West was one of several senators concerned that the bill doesn't lay out the parameters for federal agents to get a warrant. Morningside Police Chief Daniel Franklin said he understood the bill's intention but is worried about unintended consequences that could lead to safety issues and loss of state-federal relationships.
CBS News
04-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Immigration advocacy leaders push for more protections in Maryland
BALTIMORE -- Immigration advocacy organization CASA is pushing for legislation to protect communities in Maryland as President Donald Trump continues taking executive action to crack down on immigration and border policies . For decades, the organization has been advocating for change in the state's General Assembly. On Tuesday, leaders rallied in Annapolis to push for three bills that they said will "minimize the terror from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation machine inside of Maryland." During the rally, CASA leaders encouraged legislators to pass the series of bills they are calling the "Immigrant Protection Package." Protecting Sensitive Locations Act The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, introduced at the end of January, would require Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown to develop guidelines for immigration enforcement at certain locations. One of the executive orders signed by Mr. Trump revoked a policy that prevented immigration agents from making arrests near schools, places of worship and other locations "that would restrain people's access to essential services or engagement in essential activities." The proposed bill defines those sensitive locations as schools and colleges, medical and mental health care facilities, places of worship, service centers and shelters, and childcare centers or other locations where children gather. Places where funerals, weddings and other religious or civil ceremonies are taking place would also be considered sensitive locations under the proposed bill. Under the bill, the Attorney General would create guidelines for state agencies that operate at sensitive locations. Those guidelines would limit immigration enforcement at those locations while still staying in compliance with federal and state laws. State agencies would be required to implement those guidelines or provide written notice of reasoning for not adopting the policies. According to documents from the Maryland General Assembly, the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act was passed as an emergency measure after a House vote. Legislative package The Maryland Data Privacy Act would require law enforcement officials and some state and local government leaders to deny access to certain information or buildings to those looking to enforce federal immigration laws. The proposed legislation further requires the Attorney General to enforce the measure and instructs that state employees who violate the rules of the measure face disciplinary actions. According to CASA, the proposed bill would block ICE agents from gaining access to local and state agencies. "Immigrant families should be able to access critical government services without worrying that their information will be shared with federal immigration authorities," CASA officials said. According to CASA, the Maryland Values Act would end agreements that allow local police to act as ICE agents. "Ending this program is essential for restoring public trust so that communities of color can know that they can call the police to report crimes, serve as witnesses, and protect them from harm," CASA officials said. Maryland leaders address immigration policies Maryland joined 11 other states in challenging President Trump's immigration initiatives after a warning from the Department of Justice said state officials who don't comply could risk investigation. The AG issued guidelines for county and state law enforcement agencies clarifying that officers cannot ask about immigration status during routine police work, share immigration status with federal immigration authorities without a warrant or contract with private immigration detention facilities. The state's Catholic bishops shared a message of support to immigrant communities, saying they are committed to advocating for policies that protect their rights. On Monday, hundreds of protesters gathered in a Baltimore community to oppose the Trump administration's new policies. Others have expressed fear since the new policies went into effect. "So, where do we go if even the church is not safe for us anymore," Bishop Angel Nunez of Bilingual Christian Church previously told WJZ.
