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HB 719

Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibition Against Sanctuary Policies

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lauren Arikan and 12 co-sponsors

Maryland bill prohibiting local "sanctuary" policies would require law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and ICE detainer requests.

Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 719

Legislative bill overview

HB 719 would prohibit Maryland jurisdictions from adopting or maintaining "sanctuary" policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities. The bill appears designed to require local law enforcement to comply with federal immigration detainers and information-sharing requests, removing local discretion to shield undocumented immigrants from federal deportation proceedings.

Why is this important

This bill directly affects how local police departments interact with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of Maryland residents and determining whether local resources are used for federal immigration enforcement. The outcome will influence trust between immigrant communities and local law enforcement, which law enforcement agencies themselves have cited as affecting crime reporting and public safety effectiveness.

Potential points of contention

  • Federalism and local control: Whether states/counties should have authority to set their own immigration enforcement priorities versus federal mandates, and fiscal responsibility for federal enforcement costs
  • Public safety trade-offs: Evidence suggests immigrant communities report crimes less frequently when fearful of deportation; opponents argue this undermines local crime prevention while supporters argue cooperation improves overall safety
  • Resource allocation: Whether local police should dedicate personnel and funding to federal immigration enforcement rather than local public safety priorities
  • Constitutional concerns: Questions about the legality of mandating state/local compliance with federal detainers without federal funding, and Fourth Amendment implications of detention based on civil immigration status

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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