Maryland officials are debating how local law-enforcement agencies should respond to federal immigration requests and whether counties should participate in 287(g) agreements that delegate certain federal functions to trained local officers. Federal immigration detainers can ask a jail to keep someone beyond the time they would otherwise be released, raising questions about warrants, liability, trust, and public safety. The state can limit local involvement, require serious convictions or judicial process before transfer, let counties choose, encourage broad cooperation, or permit information sharing without deputizing local officers. Local police need cooperation from victims and witnesses, and jails also need a safe rule for people convicted of serious crimes. Maryland should draw a line that is clear, constitutional, and tied to actual public safety.
What role should Maryland police and sheriffs play in federal immigration enforcement?