Harford County officials discuss challenging Maryland's law prohibiting ICE collaborations
Harford County officials are trying to determine how to challenge Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's bill signing that prohibits law enforcement from collaborating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Last month, the governor signed emergency legislation to ban the 287(g) program, which had allowed deputies to conduct immigration screenings in jail.
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler on Monday met with American Constitutional Rights Union Executive Director Lt. Col. Allen West to discuss how to move forward.
"Protecting our life, protecting our liberty, protecting our property, that's what these gentlemen have taken an oath to make sure that they do," said Lt. Col. West. "To have state lawmakers say they can't do that because that goes against our ideological agenda? That's fubar."
Sheriff calls for police, ICE partnerships to remain
Undocumented immigrants murdered Kayla Hamilton and Rachel Morin in the last few years in Harford County, which is why Sheriff Gahler said the program needs to stay.
He said that in the eight years they participated in the 287(g) agreement, there was never a single complaint.
"So when someone was booked in for committing an offense, and they had probable cause from the commissioner, and they were booked into a jail because the commissioner decided not to release them, put them back out on the street on their promise to appear, but actually booked them into the jail, that's where the screening took place," Gahler said.
Rachel Morin's mother questions ban on 287(g) agreements
Those in the meeting, which included Morin's mother, Patty Morin, feel the state is prioritizing undocumented immigrants rather than protecting American citizens.
"I cannot understand why anyone would want to disarm law enforcement in any way when it's the sole duty of law enforcement to protect the citizens, to protect the American citizens, and I think even immigrants," said Patty Morin. "I don't think they should be since they're not a citizen of our country, should have the same constitutional rights than an American citizen has because technically they are not even a citizen of our country."
The group decided they will stop at nothing until the legislation is reversed.
"I think every single one of the people that voted for that legislation down in Annapolis, they need to look her in the eye," Lt. Col. Wolf said. "They need to explain their actions to her, and to all the Americans who are every day losing their sons, daughters, loved ones to people who should not be here, and to people that an administration violated the constitution to allow them to be here. That's just wrong."
Gov. Moore stated last month, "We will continue to work with federal partners to hold violent offenders accountable, but we refuse to blur the lines between state and federal authority in ways that undermine the trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."
