White House press secretary calls Maryland's law ending ICE partnerships "despicable"
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized Maryland Gov. Wes Moore for signing bills ending law enforcement's cooperation with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling it "despicable."
Moore signed two emergency bills on Tuesday ending 287(g) agreements in Maryland, which now prevent state and local law enforcement from partnering with ICE.
Two versions of the bill to end 287(g) partnerships were passed through the Maryland General Assembly, and were sent to the governor to sign.
Backlash over ending 287(g) partnerships
The governor's actions have angered some law enforcement agencies, prompting them to consider legal action.
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said the Maryland Sheriffs' Association planned to meet on Wednesday to discuss the next steps on the new law.
"This is another horrible, and frankly political action taken by Gov. Wes Moore," Leavitt said during a press briefing on Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the people of his state are going to reap the consequences of it."
In Maryland, nine counties participate in 287(g) agreements, including Allegany, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Washington, Wicomico and St. Mary's counties.
There are two kinds of 287(g) agreements utilized in Maryland. One allows corrections officers at local jails to flag a noncitizen who is arrested to ICE and detain them for 48 hours. The other allows officers to serve and execute warrants on those who are jailed.
Leavitt questioned why any state would prevent state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal law enforcement.
"If you ask sheriffs from across the country if they want to have that level of cooperation and coordination with the federal government, of course they do," Leavitt said. "It makes their jobs easier, keeps them out of hostile and dangerous environments and it allows them to detain illegal aliens who have committed heinous crimes in our country."
Push to keep the partnership with ICE
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler has been outspoken against the ban to end 287(g) agreements. He argues that the ban will result in violent offenders being released unintentionally.
"There'll be those [criminals] who won't get a hit that would have allowed us to identify [them under this agreement], that will not be happening now," Gahler said. "Those individuals who pose a threat to public safety or national security will be walking out of our jails and back into your community."
The Harford County Sheriff's Office has been in the agreement since 2016.
Gahler was recently joined by Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, who was murdered by an undocumented immigrant in 2023, to ask the governor not to sign the bill.
Morin said 287(g) agreements have been "a safeguard for our community, for our citizens, for our families."
