Baltimore County executive claims sanctuary jurisdiction designation is a mistake
Baltimore County is listed as Maryland's only sanctuary jurisdiction in the Department of Justice's (DoJ) list of locations that it claims have policies that "impede enforcement of federal immigration statutes and regulations."
It comes amid the Trump administration's continued crackdown on illegal immigration in the U.S.
Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier believes the county was erroneously included in the list, and said the Office of Law is contacting the DoJ to "correct this mistake."
"Public safety remains a top priority, where we practice community policing – an approach proven to enhance safety by encouraging cooperation with law enforcement at varying levels," Klausmeier said in a statement. "We will continue to support our valued law enforcement personnel while following federal, state, and local laws."
How sanctuary jurisdictions were chosen
The Justice Department shared the list on Tuesday, saying the designations were chosen after a review of laws, ordinances and executive directives in the listed locations.
According to the DoJ, a location is designated as a sanctuary jurisdiction if it publicly declares itself as such, if they have laws or regulations that "obstruct or limit local law enforcement cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)," or if it limits whether local agencies share information about the immigration status of detainees with federal authorities.
The DoJ also describes sanctuary jurisdictions as those that prohibit the use of funds for federal immigration enforcement, those that train government employees and law enforcement to enforce sanctuary policies and those that do not honor ICE detainer requests.
Further, the department listed locations as sanctuary jurisdictions if they restrict ICE officials from interviewing detainees without consent, if they create offices to help migrants "evade federal law enforcement officers," or if they avoid federal laws that prevent migrants from receiving certain benefits.
The list will be re-evaluated on a regular basis to include or remove jurisdictions that change their policies or laws, the department said. Each listed location will have a chance to respond to its designation, according to the DoJ.
The list follows President Trump's April executive order, called Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens. The measure directs the DoJ and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to publish a list of locations that "continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of federal immigration laws," according to the Justice Department.
Under the executive order, the Office of Management and Budget was ordered to identify federal funds, grants and contracts that can be terminated or suspended in designated sanctuary jurisdictions.
The measure also directs the DHS to pursue legal action and enforcement measures for locations that remain sanctuary jurisdictions after local officials are notified of the designation.
Immigration policies in Baltimore County
In April of 2024, before President Trump's second term, Baltimore County launched the Welcoming and Belonging Strategic Plan, which served as a guide for welcoming "new residents from around the world who are eager to share their values, build new connections, and use their talents to make our county safer, stronger, and more prosperous."
The plan came after community meetings between migrants and county leaders.
In March 2025, the Baltimore County Board of Education passed a measure to protect students who are migrants after a high school teacher allegedly posted to social media saying he would expose his students who attended an immigration rally.
The measure ensures that migrant students have the right to access programs in the district without intimidation. The measure also affirmed the board's commitment to protecting student privacy.
In April, Maryland lawmakers passed a similar measure, the Maryland Values Act, which identified sensitive locations – like schools and churches – and determined how they can respond if immigration officials show up. The law also created privacy protections for migrants' data.
DHS list of sanctuary jurisdictions
The Department of Homeland Security shared a similar list in June, though it listed eight Maryland counties and 10 Maryland cities as sanctuary jurisdictions.
The list has since been removed from the DHS website, but it included the following:
Cities
- Annapolis
- Baltimore City
- Cheverly
- College Park
- Edmonston
- Greenbelt
- Hyattsville
- Mount Rainier
- Rockville
- Tacoma Park
Counties
- Anne Arundel
- Baltimore
- Charles
- Howard
- Montgomery
- Prince George's
- Queen Anne's
- Talbot
Several state and local leaders responded to the DHS's list, including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who said, "By definition, Baltimore is not a sanctuary city, because we do not have jurisdiction over our jails. We follow our limited obligations as defined under federal immigration law."
Leaders from both Anne Arundel and Howard counties said they are in compliance with federal immigration laws.
