Immigration advocates say proposed protection bills need to be passed in Baltimore County

The Baltimore area's central immigrant rights organization and other supporters rallied outside of the Baltimore County Historic Courthouse on Tuesday, pushing for the passage of two measures that would protect immigrant communities.

The bills, which have been dubbed the Trust Act, were introduced last month by Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka.

When he spoke at the rally, Patoka said the bills are about restoring trust, citing the social impacts of ICE agents and federal immigration enforcement around the country.

There is a concern with passing the Trust Act, particularly with potential blowback from the Trump administration.

What is the Trust Act?

Holding signs that read, "Protect Immigrant Communities" and "Abolish ICE," the nonprofit CASA and others said the Trust Act needs to be passed by Baltimore County Council.

The bills aim to put some control on how much county agencies engage with federal immigration enforcement efforts, hoping to put guardrails against local ICE operations, according to Patoka.

They would also create a county Office of Immigrant Affairs.

"The purpose of the bills combined is to reduce fear we currently have in our community, and to increase due process," Patoka said.

The bills were drafted in response to Baltimore County reaffirming its agreement with ICE in November, 2025, which sparked protests and backlash.

Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier has said the agreement has made no changes in the county.

However, advocates say after last week's deadly ICE agent shooting in Minneapolis, the Trust Act is even more important.

"That violence doesn't belong here, we belong here, our love belongs here," said Jossie Flor Sapunar, with CASA. "We belong in Towson, in Owings Mills, in Arbutus, in Catonsville, in Rosedale, in Pikesville, and Randallstown. That's Baltimore County and that's what we're fighting for."

The bills are slated for a final reading and vote at Baltimore County Council's legislative session on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

If passed as written currently, they would go into effect two weeks later.

Fear of federal retaliation

When the bills were introduced in December, Tim Fazenbaker opposed them from the get-go.

Fazenbaker is a Republican candidate for Baltimore County Council.

For him, he's worried about pushback from the federal government.

"Hundreds of thousands of us demand our laws be enforced and illegal aliens be removed," Fazenbaker said. "Sanctuary status or anything like that would defy federal immigration enforcement and invite chaos."

To pass, both bills needs five votes.