Baltimore County has recently been removed from the Justice Department's list of sanctuary jurisdictions, following an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As CBS News reported, this revised status comes after the county entered a memorandum of understanding to 'collaborate' on immigration enforcement, effectively ending its brief period as the only Maryland location designated as a sanctuary jurisdiction by the DOJ.
The DOJ had earlier shared a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, a designation for areas that limited cooperation with ICE, after an executive order from the Trump administration in May. This inclusion was challenged by Baltimore County, and now, with the new agreement in place, Stanley Woodward, an associate attorney general, acknowledged the county's efforts. "Despite restrictions from state leadership, Baltimore County has shown a willingness to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement," Woodward said, "This is a small step toward restoring public safety and we appreciate the county's commitment to updating its policies.", the DOJ said in a statement detailed by WBALTV.
This Memorandum of Understanding between Baltimore County and ICE places in written form procedures initially instituted in 2024. The understanding requires the Baltimore County Police Department to notify ICE 48 hours before releasing migrant inmates, allowing ICE to take them into custody. As stipulated by the agreement, ICE Baltimore will also provide a liaison officer to address any issues concerning the information exchange.
