The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) informed that a new Maryland law limiting the cooperation between law enforcement and immigration authorities may result in releasing violent offenders back into the community.
A DHS spokesperson stated that through current partnerships, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has apprehended serious criminals, including sex offenders and members of MS-13, in Maryland. Maryland’s Democratic Governor Wes Moore recently signed a bill aimed at prohibiting the use of 287(g) agreements, a mechanism used during the Trump administration to foster collaboration between local police and federal immigration enforcement. This change, the DHS argues, could complicate future efforts to detain dangerous individuals.
Attempted Murder, Prince George’s County, Maryland Releases Him.
Honduran foreign detective Rafael Aguilar was charged with attempted murder and convicted of assault after stabbing the victim in the back.
The county cut his 10-year sentence despite his immigration custody in August 2025… pic.twitter.com/LsdAfb5wNv
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) February 12, 2026
According to the spokesperson, “This bill would make Maryland less safe. If politicians stop local law enforcement from working with DHS, it forces officers to become more visible in trying to find and arrest criminals who are released back into the community.”
The individuals apprehended in Maryland have included serious offenders, such as a Salvadoran man guilty of murder, and another convicted of sexual crimes against minors. Additionally, there was a Peruvian immigrant with multiple convictions for rape and sexual assault.
In January, a case surfaced where Prince George’s County released an immigrant, previously convicted of stabbing someone, on probation despite a request for custody filed by ICE. Maryland’s law enforcement agencies had utilized 287(g) agreements during Trump’s presidency, which allowed them to arrest and transfer immigrants to ICE under certain conditions. Activists and some local politicians are now pushing back against these agreements, ignoring federal contracts even in supportive areas.
The first bill signing of this session will send a clear message about who we are as a nation.
Maryland will not allow state and local law enforcement to be used to enforce federal immigration policies that instill fear and tear families apart.
As an immigrant, this moment… pic.twitter.com/jeDTuZJgPc
— Lieutenant Governor Aluna Miller (@LtGovMiller) February 17, 2026
Governor Moore emphasized the importance of upholding constitutional rights and clarified that Maryland would not let untrained ICE agents interfere with local law enforcement. He believes in maintaining a clear boundary between state and federal authority to foster trust within the communities. He also asserted that Maryland is a robust community of immigrants, contributing to the state’s strengths.
The Governor’s office maintains that the new law doesn’t entail the release of criminals and doesn’t compromise federal efforts to target violent offenders. However, DHS disagreed, saying, “Maryland is choosing to release violent criminals directly from prison into our communities.” The spokesperson condemned the direction the Maryland Assembly is taking, criticizing it for prioritizing illegal immigrants over public safety concerns.
