Maryland's “Sanctuary” Problem: Endangering Citizens & Burdening Taxpayers

Author: Nicholas Softy, FAIR Field Outreach Manager

Maryland has transformed into a haven for illegal aliens, prioritizing their accommodation over the safety and fiscal well-being of its law-abiding residents. Through expansive sanctuary policies, the state has systematically undermined federal immigration enforcement, disregarded federal immigration law, flouted the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, and dismissed Supreme Court precedents like Arizona v. United States. This reckless approach not only shields criminal aliens but also imposes staggering costs on taxpayers. Maryland must repeal these dangerous sanctuary policies, and restore cooperation with federal authorities to protect its communities.

The roots of Maryland's sanctuary status trace back to 2021, when the Dignity Not Detention Act—enacted as House Bill 0016—prohibited local jurisdictions from entering into immigration detention agreements with private entities and mandated the termination of existing contracts. This legislation effectively turned Maryland into a statewide sanctuary, attaching sanctuary provisions to a broader detention ban and institutionalizing non-cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Maryland joins 17 other states, and Washington, D.C., in the adoption of a statewide sanctuary status (Sanctuary States). By enacting these statewide measures, Maryland is violating statutes like 8 U.S.C. § 1373, which prohibits restrictions on sharing immigration information, and 8 U.S.C. § 1324, which criminalizes harboring illegal aliens.

In the designated sanctuary jurisdiction of Baltimore County, officials prohibit immigration status inquiries without a judicial criminal warrant and refuse to comply with ICE detainers absent a judicial warrant or order. Between October 2022 and September 2023, ICE issued 81 detainers in Baltimore County, but approximately 70 percent were ignored, resulting in the release of dangerous aliens back into communities before federal handover. This foolish and entirely unnecessary pattern repeats statewide. Montgomery County honored zero out of 198 detainers in fiscal year 2023 and zero of 119 in early 2024. Prince George's County, Howard County, and others follow suit with resolutions and ordinances that bar status inquiries, detainer compliance, and resource allocation for ICE operations.

Sanctuary jurisdictions often extend perks that incentivize the illegal presence of aliens. In Maryland, driver's licenses are issued regardless of immigration status. In-state tuition and financial aid for higher education are available to illegal aliens, subsidizing their academic pursuits at taxpayer expense (displacing American students). Regional day-labor centers have been institutionalized throughout Maryland, providing formalized hubs that often facilitate off-the-books employment without scrutiny. These accommodations don't just flout federal authority; they create "sanctuary shields" that hide criminal illegal aliens, exposing all residents to preventable harm.

The public safety risks are undeniable. Sanctuary jurisdictions routinely release convicted felons—including rapists, murderers, and pedophiles—into the general population. This prioritizes ideology over security to the detriment of Marylanders.  Moreover, Maryland's efforts to dismantle the 287(g) program–which allows the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate immigration enforcement authority to state and local law enforcement agencies, enhancing collaboration in identifying and removing noncitizens–endangers Marylanders.

In 2025, the Maryland Legislature introduced MD HB 1222, which prohibited the creation of more 287(g) memorandums of understanding between ICE and Maryland law enforcement agencies, as well as mandating the termination of existing agreements. In concert with local MD Sheriffs, FAIR was victorious in killing the 287(g) provision of HB 1222, ensuring that the six MD counties with active agreements (Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, and Washington) could continue partnering with ICE to identify and remove criminal aliens from their communities.

The fiscal toll of illegal immigration is equally devastating. FAIR’s 2023 study, “The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers”, estimates that illegal immigration costs Maryland taxpayers over $2.9 billion annually, based on a population of 350,000 illegal aliens and their 121,000 U.S.-born children. The average cost to Marylanders is $8,436 per illegal alien in the state. The mandated education (Plyler v. Doe) of the children of illegal aliens in Maryland costs $1.94 billion per year. Plus, Maryland taxpayers are paying hundreds of millions of dollars for the healthcare, administration of justice costs, and welfare and general services for illegal aliens. This amounts to a financial burden of $1,132 annually per Maryland household.

Maryland's sanctuary experiment is a failure that endangers lives and drains resources. Solutions are straightforward: Repeal the Dignity Not Detention Act and similar laws to restore full statewide cooperation with ICE. Mandate honoring of detainers for up to 48 hours as federal law allows, and create more 287(g) partnerships to empower local law enforcement. Enact anti-sanctuary measures while ending perks like in-state tuition and day-labor centers that attract illegal settlement. By aligning with federal immigration enforcement, Maryland can reduce crime, alleviate fiscal strains, and reaffirm its commitment to the rule of law. The continued shielding of illegal aliens is a betrayal of every Marylander, and it’s time for immigration policy reform.