Dozens of people turned up Tuesday afternoon to voice support or opposition to a proposed bill that would require Baltimore County jails to screen for illegal immigrants, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Pamela Wood reports that the bill is likely to fail because it doesn’t have enough support. It was introduced by Republican council members Wade Kach, Todd Crandell and David Marks. But Wood reports that the four Democrats on the council said they oppose the legislation.
The story is available here.
This is a sad and disturbing trend for our elected county Republicans to facilitate local officials turning over people, even without proof of any crime, to federal immigration officials. Since when do Republicans want federal oversight or intervention in local affairs? Since President Trump declared war on undocumented immigrants? How about accepting and becoming reliant on federal money, too? I expect more from our independent-minded local leaders. Democrat, Republican, Human? Recent posts don’t fully explain what is proposed. Here, from a newsletter by County Councilman Wade Kach: “The goal of our proposed legislation is to facilitate cooperation between the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Baltimore County. Upon passage of this proposal, Baltimore County would be instructed to appoint employees of the County Jail to participate in the ICE Section 287G program. The Federal Government would cover all the costs of the program which includes training. …”In the case of the arrest of an individual who is in the United States illegally, this program would ensure that ICE would be able to take appropriate action that they otherwise could not upon the prisoner’s release. The practical effect of this is that known illegal immigrants who have committed crimes or have been suspected of crimes and detained will not be released into the public without being subject to our Federal immigration laws first.” Aren’t people innocent until proven guilty? What if a college student whose visa has temporarily expired is falsely accused of crime? Or a mother and victim of… Read more »
What are the “other methods” that exist to deport illegal criminals if you refuse to allow even the jail to inquire about immigration status? That is Kevin Kamenetz’s executive order, and why this bill exists.
Your hypothetical scenarios make a case for discretion in who is handed over to ICE. But then you argue for “sanctuary” protections that eliminate any discretion and promise (almost) full rights of US citizens even to the small subset of undesirable illegal immigrants who ARE drunk drivers, gang associates, or petty criminals. And BTW, these extreme, nonsensical sanctuary policies are a highly counterproductive way to oppose Trump, at least for anyone who looks at the details- worse isn’t the opposite of bad.