Members of the law enforcement community in Maryland joined the Maryland Sheriffs' Association Thursday afternoon, rallying against a proposed bill that would limit state and local involvement in federal immigration enforcement.

Most notably, the Maryland Values Act , one of three bills in immigrant rights group CASA's legislative package, would prohibit new 287(g) agreements between local agencies and federal immigration authorities.

According to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson, three counties in Maryland have an agreement with immigration agencies -- Harford, Frederick, and Cecil counties.

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins called the bill a "terrible and dangerous piece of legislation."

Jenkins said it will encourage criminals who have illegally entered the United States to establish themselves in Maryland.

Jenkins said Frederick County has the oldest 287(g) program in the history of the United States.

"Since 2008, we've removed 1,795 criminals - many of them dangerous felons. We've removed them because of our partnership with ICE and the 287 (g) program," Jenkins said.

Defending 287(g) agreements

Opponents of the Maryland Value Act say the measure would release dangerous criminals back into the community, since it would require existing 287(g) agreements to be terminated by July 1, 2025.

"I don't think there's anyone who would argue that making sure criminals do not get released back into the community is not a public safety issue," said Matt Elliston, Maryland's ICE deputy assistant director.

Elliston said "sanctuary" communities, or jurisdictions that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal law enforcement in immigration cases, are dangerous.

Officials in sanctuary jurisdictions such as San Francisco have defended the protections for immigrants, saying that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes.

Some supporters of sanctuary laws have also said that threatening undocumented immigrants with deportation erodes the trust between the community and law enforcement.

Deputy Jenkins said it's an argument he said he disagrees with and hears "all the time".

"The distrust of law enforcement comes with the people from the countries they're coming from," Jenkins said. "They can't trust law enforcement in the countries where they were born and raised. The real fear is not law enforcement, the real fear in these communities are the criminals that are in these communities."

The Maryland Values Act has already passed the House. The other two bills, a part of CASA's legislative package -- the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act and the Maryland Data Privacy Act -- have each passed the Senate.

What are 287g agreements?

The 287(g) program, named after Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deputize selected state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law.

According to the ICE website , the 287(g) program operates in three models. The Jail Enforcement Model (JEM) allows local officers to identify and process removable aliens with criminal charges, while the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) program permits officers to serve administrative warrants on aliens in their jails. The Task Force Model (TFM) serves as a "force multiplier for law enforcement agencies to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during their routine police duties," the ICE website reads.

Since entering office, President Trump has prioritized a crackdown on illegal immigration.

On January 20, Mr. Trump issued an executive order, "Protecting the American People Against Invasion" requiring ICE "to authorize State and local law enforcement officials, as the Secretary of Homeland Security determines are qualified and appropriate, under section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to the maximum extent permitted by law."

In a memo issued a day later, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove directed prosecutors and law enforcement to consider charging state and local officials who attempt to impede Mr. Trump's immigration efforts.

Maryland, along with 11 other states, joined a lawsuit challenging Mr. Trump's order, alleging that the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws.

The fight against 287(g)

Immigrant rights advocates and other supporters of the bill say 287(g) agreements extend ICE's reach, target those with low-level offenses, and heighten the risk of racial profiling.

"No person is gonna call the police if that police officer is also an ICE agent. What we wanna do is make sure that people feel confident calling 911, making sure they're reaching out if they're victims of crime," said Cathryn Jackson, CASA's public policy director. "Also, just collaborating with police as a whole."

Officials denied that 287(g) programs are discriminatory or targeting low-level criminal offenses.

Elliston shared that in the last five years in Prince George's and Howard counties, 600 immigration detainer holds were lodged. Of those, 50 were for homicide, and 15 were for traffic-related offenses.

How has the federal immigration crackdown impacted Maryland?

Mr. Trump's immigration crackdown has had a significant impact on Marylanders. Members of immigrant communities expressed fear of mass deportations after the president revoked a policy that prohibited immigration arrests near schools, places of worship, and other sensitive locations.

Maryland lawmakers and immigration advocates have shown support for several proposed bills to protect immigrants, including the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act and the Maryland Data Privacy Act, which aim to limit ICE's access to certain locations and information.

Immigration advocacy groups like CASA have been pushing for legislation to protect immigrant communities and protesting against what they claim are inhumane conditions in ICE detention facilities.