Harford County sheriff, mother of Rachel Morin urge state leaders to allow 287(g) agreements

The mother of murdered Maryland mother Rachel Morin joined law enforcement in Harford County on Monday to denounce several state bills that would end partnerships between local law enforcement agencies and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

Earlier this month, the Maryland House and Senate approved legislation that would prohibit state employees and agencies from entering 287(g) agreements and would require that all existing agreements end.   

Currently, Harford County is among eight counties in Maryland to have signed onto this 287(g) partnership. The other counties include Allegany, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Washington and St. Mary's counties. 

The agreement allows local law enforcement agencies to notify immigration enforcement about undocumented immigrants who are in custody.

"It has been a safeguard"

Patty Morin, whose daughter Rachel Morin was raped and murdered by an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador in 2023, urged the governor to not sign the bill.

"It has been a safeguard for our community, for our citizens, for our families," Patty Morin said. "I think every Marylander should call Gov. Wes  Moore and tell him not to sign that order, to veto it, and to allow us to work in this program."

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said the agreements help to keep Marylanders safe, and that getting rid of them would only increase ICE presence in the state. 

"Doing away with 287(g) has been sold by some legislators as the solution to get ICE out of Maryland," Gahler said. "The opposite will happen. you will still see ICE, probably in greater numbers doing to job they are lawfully required to do."

Gov. Moore responds

Gov. Moore said in a statement to WJZ that he plans on signing the bills that make it to his desk.

"We've been working with the members of the General Assembly on this, and I'm excited to have a bill that will come to my desk that will ensure that public safety is still going to be the No. 1 priority for me and the No. 1 priority for this administration," Moore stated. "We are going to do everything in our power to keep people safe, but that does not mean deputizing the people who are keeping people safe to go perform functions by a rogue ICE agency."

Moore continued, "And so we are eager. We are working with the members of the General Assembly. I'm looking forward to a bill that will make it to my desk, and I'm looking forward to signing the bill that makes it to my desk."