Maryland sheriff torches Democrats over law he says puts illegal immigrants first
Maine News Now
April 18, 2024 – By Jordan Miller
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler has warned that Maryland’s newly enacted “Community Trust Act,” a sanctuary‑type law that limits cooperation between local law‑enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities, could put dangerous non‑citizens back on the streets and leave more American families grieving preventable crimes. The sheriff, who has served in law‑enforcement for 40 years, spoke to Fox News Digital after testifying before a House Judiciary subcommittee and said that the legislation could compel jail officials to release inmates who are deemed a public‑safety risk.
The act, signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore in 2024 without his signature, restricts when state and local authorities can ask people about their immigration status, hold them for civil violations, or notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that they are in custody. Critics argue that it undermines a partnership that had previously allowed ICE to transfer inmates from county jails under the federal 287(g) program, which identified and safely transferred individuals who were already incarcerated on criminal charges and who had been flagged by ICE as threats to public safety or national security.
Gahler said the law could force correctional officers to release an illegal immigrant who has already been flagged by ICE, thereby putting the public at risk. “I don’t want to have to open the jail door and say, ‘Welcome back to Harford County. Go victimize. Let’s create some more victims,’” he said. “That is insane.”
He added that if someone released under the new restrictions commits another crime, responsibility would rest with the elected officials who enacted the policy. “So whose hands is it on?” he asked. “The politicians.”
The sheriff’s testimony comes as 16 other sheriffs, representing roughly two‑thirds of the state, have joined him in a lawsuit against the law. The group claims that the Community Trust Act dismantles a system that had allowed local jails to work with ICE to safely transfer detainees, reducing the chance of dangerous releases.
Gahler cited two local families whose lives were shattered by crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Rachel Morin, a 37‑year‑old mother of five, was raped and murdered on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air in August 2023. The perpetrator, Victor Antonio Martinez‑Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was convicted and sentenced to life without parole. Kayla Hamilton, a 20‑year‑old autistic woman, was raped and strangled inside her Aberdeen home in July 2022. Walter Javier Martinez, a suspected MS‑13 member from El Salvador who entered the U.S. illegally as an unaccompanied minor, was sentenced to life in prison, with 70 years of his sentence suspended. Gahler said that neither case should be reduced to a political talking point and criticized supporters of the law for failing to show genuine concern for the families involved.
“None of the state or federal officials called Patty Morin after her murder,” he said. “And no one reached out to Kayla’s mother, Tammy Nobles, to express condolences or promise to fight for the two Harford County victims.” He added, “I simply think that there are those in Annapolis and those in Washington who do not care. It’s politics over public safety.”
Gov. Moore’s office has defended the measure. Rhyan Lake, senior communications strategist for the governor, told Fox News Digital that the state has never been a sanctuary for criminals under his administration. “Since Governor Moore took office, Maryland is seeing some of the largest drops in violent crime in the country,” Lake said. “We will continue holding violent offenders accountable and protecting Marylanders’ constitutional rights and basic dignity.” She also acknowledged that ICE agents sometimes commit questionable actions but argued that the state works with federal partners to keep communities safe.
The sheriff’s concerns center on the 287(g) program, a federal partnership that had allowed ICE to transfer inmates from local jails instead of arresting them in the community. Gahler explained that the program identified people who were already jailed on criminal charges and had been flagged by ICE as threats. “Then we turned them over safely in the security and safety of our jail after they were already in custody,” he said. “Anytime we don’t have to do a raid in law enforcement, it’s safer. You have the person secured. Turn them over to ICE because ICE says they pose a threat to public safety or national security.”
He said that opposition to the program had fluctuated with political changes. Harford County had joined the 287(g) program under President Barack Obama, but the state’s critics renewed their opposition during President Donald Trump’s administration. “They’re doing it for purely political reasons and not public safety,” he said. “That’s complete nonsense.”
The sheriff also drew a comparison to California, accusing the two Democratic‑led states of “whacking the ball back and forth across the court to see who can be more idiotic.” He highlighted his own experience on 9/11, where he was a Maryland State Police commander. “The complete takeaway from 9/11 was that we didn’t communicate effectively across local, state, and federal agencies,” Gahler said. “It’s a tragedy that we have moved dangerously far from that lesson.”
In addition to the lawsuit, the sheriffs have filed complaints that the Community Trust Act forbids them from communicating with ICE or other federal partners. They argue that the law effectively isolates local law‑enforcement agencies from a vital safety net. Gahler said the sheriff’s office will keep pressing its case in court and speaking out for victims. “Our job should be to stop increasing the number of angel families,” he said, and “to stop allowing American citizens to be the victims of crime committed by people who are in our country illegally.”
The Community Trust Act has sparked a broader debate about sanctuary policies in blue states. Opponents argue that limiting cooperation with ICE could lead to the release of dangerous individuals. Supporters say that the law protects the civil liberties of immigrants and prevents local jails from being used as de‑facto immigration enforcement tools.
The Maryland legislature approved the act in May 2023, and it took effect at the start of the 2024 fiscal year. The law’s passage was seen by critics as a political victory for the state’s Democratic leadership, who say it reflects a broader national conversation about immigration and public safety.
As the lawsuit proceeds, the outcome could set a precedent for how sanctuary laws interact with federal immigration enforcement in states that have historically maintained partnerships with ICE. The debate continues to split legislators, law‑enforcement officials, and community members over how best to balance public safety, civil rights, and the effective use of federal resources.