Overview
- The Justice Department said Friday it removed Baltimore County from its sanctuary-jurisdiction list after the county signed a memorandum of understanding with ICE to collaborate on immigration enforcement.
- Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward praised the county's willingness to cooperate despite state-level restrictions and called the move a step toward public safety.
- County Executive Kathy Klusmeyer maintains the county is not a sanctuary jurisdiction, says the original listing was an error, and reports that county lawyers are contacting DOJ to correct the record.
- County officials said the agreement memorializes procedures instituted in 2024 to provide federal authorities notice before detainee releases and does not change the Department of Corrections' standard practices.
- Baltimore County was added to an updated federal list in August after earlier lists in May named other Maryland jurisdictions, with DOJ previously citing local policies seen as impeding federal immigration enforcement.