Baltimore Limits Cooperation With ICE Amid Concerns Over Tactics

City Council passes 'Safe Spaces and Communities Act' to restrict city agencies from assisting federal immigration enforcement.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 8:06pm

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The Baltimore City Council has passed a bill to prevent the city from cooperating with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The 'Safe Spaces and Communities Act' limits cooperation with ICE by prohibiting city agencies from entering into agreements for detaining individuals based on civil immigration charges, enforcing federal immigration laws, or using city resources to assist in enforcing federal immigration law.

Why it matters

The move by Baltimore's city government reflects growing concerns over aggressive ICE tactics, such as 'dragging people out of their cars' without judicial warrants. The new law aims to distance local police from federal immigration enforcement in order to maintain trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.

The details

Under the new 'Safe Spaces and Communities Act', Baltimore city agencies will be prohibited from cooperating with ICE in various ways, including detaining individuals based solely on civil immigration charges, enforcing federal immigration laws, or providing city resources to assist federal immigration enforcement. City Councilwoman Odette Ramos clarified that the Baltimore Police Department will not be participating in any of ICE's controversial tactics.

  • The Baltimore City Council passed the 'Safe Spaces and Communities Act' on March 24, 2026.

The players

Odette Ramos

A Baltimore City Councilwoman who discussed the new law limiting cooperation with ICE on local radio shows.

Baltimore City Council

The legislative body that passed the 'Safe Spaces and Communities Act' to restrict the city's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency that the new Baltimore law aims to distance the city from, in response to concerns over aggressive enforcement tactics.

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What they’re saying

“Baltimore City Police are not going to be the ones that are cooperating with ICE. That's been very clear made by the mayor, but also by our bill.”

— Odette Ramos, Baltimore City Councilwoman

“What we're seeing, what we're seeing ICE doing right now in terms of dragging people out of their cars, not using judicial warrants, Baltimore Police Department is not participating in any of that.”

— Odette Ramos, Baltimore City Councilwoman

What’s next

The new 'Safe Spaces and Communities Act' will go into effect immediately, limiting Baltimore's cooperation with ICE. City officials will monitor the impact of the law and may consider further measures to protect immigrant communities if aggressive federal tactics continue.

The takeaway

Baltimore's move to restrict local cooperation with ICE reflects a growing national trend of cities and states seeking to distance themselves from federal immigration enforcement, particularly in response to concerns over heavy-handed tactics that undermine trust between law enforcement and immigrant residents.