Maryland’s Democratic Governor, Wes Moore, is at a crossroads, facing a significant political choice as a bill is nearing approval that would virtually prevent local police from working with ICE.
This week, both the House and Senate in Maryland passed a bill aiming to eliminate the 287(g) agreement, which currently permits eight local jurisdictions to collaborate with federal immigration officials in detention settings and hand individuals over to ICE.
Moore, considered a moderate, has often expressed his opposition to “partisan” politics, emphasizing support for law enforcement. This puts him in a challenging position, caught between the more progressive faction of his party that opposes ICE and the moderates and independents who might back its fundamental role in deporting criminal undocumented immigrants.
In recent weeks, Moore has voiced concerns regarding ICE’s activities, particularly as the Trump administration faces escalating criticism over its immigration strategies. This comes in the wake of two deaths in Minnesota that followed confrontations with federal immigration officials.
The governor’s press secretary, Ryan Lake, remarked that Moore is “gravely concerned about ICE’s actions in Maryland and across the country under the Trump administration.” He added, “Instead of focusing on violent criminals and public safety, the federal government has created chaos and made communities less secure. The Governor has made it clear: Maryland has no place for untrained, unaccountable officials. We will carefully review this bill as soon as it’s introduced.”
Although Moore mentioned last September that he would not pursue a presidential run in 2028 and expressed enthusiasm for serving a full term if re-elected this November, many speculate that he harbors presidential aspirations for the future.
Julian Epstein, a veteran Democratic strategist and former chief counsel for the House Judiciary Committee, cautioned that the party might be making a misstep by appealing to anti-ICE advocates, especially looking ahead to the general election. He stated, “These sanctuary laws align with a separatist and open borders ideology. Catering to the progressive left could backfire for the party.”
Epstein also emphasized the urgency for Democrats to recognize the implications of their positions, suggesting that they may not grasp the broader consequences of their immigration policies on the working class.
