Maryland Advocates Rally in Annapolis for Bills Protecting Immigrant Families from ICE

Lawmakers expected to pass legislation banning 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Maryland immigration rights advocates protested in Annapolis on Monday, calling on lawmakers to pass several bills that would restrict U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the state. A bill to end 287(g) partnerships between Maryland law enforcement agencies and ICE is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday.

Why it matters

The proposed legislation aims to limit ICE's ability to detain and deport undocumented immigrants in Maryland, which has faced criticism over its cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Advocates argue the bills are necessary to protect immigrant families and promote public safety.

The details

Several immigration rights organizations from across the state attended the rally, pushing for the state government to pass laws that would prohibit law enforcement from racial profiling and require judicial warrants before transferring individuals to ICE custody. The Community Trust Act, if passed, would also stop police or correction officers from assisting with immigration arrests.

  • On Tuesday, Gov. Wes Moore is expected to sign a bill banning 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement agencies and ICE by July 2026.
  • The bills are currently being debated in committee and still need to pass the House and Senate before going to the governor's desk.

The players

Wes Moore

The governor of Maryland who is expected to sign a bill banning 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement and ICE.

Dana Vickers Shelley

A representative from ACLU Maryland who spoke at the rally, saying "We will not be silenced" and that advocates will continue working until everyone in the state can "live freely, safely and equally under the law."

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What they’re saying

“We need everybody. We will not be silenced. We will not be intimidated and we will not stop working together until everyone in our state and in our country can live freely, safely and equally under the law.”

— Dana Vickers Shelley, ACLU Maryland (cbsnews.com)

“We are going to do everything in our power to keep people safe, but that does not mean deputizing the people who are keeping people safe to go perform functions by a rogue ICE agency. And so we are eager. We are working with the members of the General Assembly. I'm looking forward to a bill that will make it to my desk, and I'm looking forward to signing the bill that makes it to my desk.”

— Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The bills are currently being debated in committee and still need to pass the House and Senate before going to the governor's desk. If passed, the Community Trust Act would require local correctional facilities to have a judicial warrant to detain or keep someone in custody before transferring them to ICE.

The takeaway

This rally and proposed legislation highlight the ongoing tensions between immigrant advocates and federal immigration enforcement in Maryland. The bills aim to limit ICE's ability to detain and deport undocumented immigrants, which supporters argue is necessary to protect vulnerable families and promote public safety, while opponents view it as undermining federal immigration laws.