Legislation to strengthen citizenship verification proposed in Maryland after ICE arrests former Baltimore principal
A group of Republican lawmakers in Maryland plans to introduce legislation that would strengthen citizenship verification for voters.
The move comes after a one-time Baltimore City Public School principal was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September for allegedly overstaying his visa.
The arrest of Dr. Ian Roberts, an Iowa superintendent and Coppin State graduate, raised concerns for the Maryland Freedom Caucus, as the group claimed he was listed as an active voter in Maryland's voter lookup tool.
WJZ was not able to independently confirm the allegations, and the State Board of Elections said it would not confirm or deny that Roberts was a registered voter. The board did confirm that Roberts never voted in Maryland.
According to the Caucus — which includes seven Republican delegates — new, unredacted voter registration applications from the Public Interest Legal Foundation appear to show that Roberts falsely claimed to be a U.S. citizen.
The Foundation sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Jared DeMarinis after obtaining the document.
On Tuesday, the group of lawmakers said it would introduce the legislation during the 2026 Maryland Legislative Session, which begins on January 14, 2026.
The proposed legislation would implement the same protections as those outlined in an executive order signed by President Trump earlier in the year, including requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
The legislation would also require regular audits to ensure voter rolls only include citizens and would aim to prevent noncitizens from registering to vote, members of the Caucus said.
"If an illegal immigrant with a deportation order can secure a Maryland driver's license, register to vote, and stay on the rolls for years, then the design of the system is the problem," said Del. Matt Morgan, Chair of the Maryland Freedom Caucus. "Marylanders deserve ironclad proof of citizenship before anyone is added to the voter rolls."