Governor Wes Moore says he is "excited." Practically giddy. Excited to sign legislation that makes it harder—no, illegal—for local law enforcement in Maryland to cooperate with federal law enforcement. Excited to help the criminal class. Excited to put ideology ahead of public safety.
That’s not my characterization. That’s the governor’s own enthusiasm, on full display last week, as Democrats in Annapolis rushed through a bill designed to block cooperation between local jails, correctional facilities, and federal authorities—specifically when it comes to criminal aliens.
Oddly, Governor Moore lectured President Trump on public safety, saying Trump should come to Maryland to learn, not lecture. Then the governor declared—proudly—that since he “laid his hand on the Bible,” violent crime in Maryland is down 50 percent. However, as Moore is declaring his glee to impede local law enforcement from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), he’s telling us that ‘public safety is a priority’. Well, you can’t have it both ways.
First, let’s deal with the facts. Crime reduction in Maryland, particularly the historic drop in homicides in Baltimore City, is real. That’s good news. That’s something to celebrate. But who actually deserves the credit?
A large share of that success belongs to Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, law enforcement officers on the street, and—yes—cooperation with federal law enforcement. When you go after repeat violent offenders, when you prosecute criminals instead of coddling them, and when you collaborate across jurisdictions, you get results. You put bad guys away. Communities get safer.
So, explain this to me, Governor: How do you take credit for public safety gains that rely in part on cooperation with federal law enforcement, then turn around and say you’re excited to ban that cooperation with federal law enforcement when it comes to criminal aliens?
This legislation—barring 287(g) agreements, which ban cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities, specifically Immigration and Customs Enforcement—doesn’t make Maryland safer. It does the opposite. It tells local law enforcement: even if someone is a convicted felon, even if they’re guilty of violent crimes or domestic abuse, even if they are in the country illegally, you are prohibited from working with federal authorities to remove them from our communities.
That’s not compassion. That’s negligence.
Let’s be clear about what this bill does. When a criminal alien is already in custody—already off the streets—it prevents coordination that would allow federal authorities to do their job. Instead, that person can be released back into the community. That puts families at risk. That puts neighborhoods at risk. That puts you at risk.
Over the past year, just nine counties accounted for two-thirds of all violent confrontations with ICE in the entire country—twice as many as the other 3,134 counties combined. Read that again. In those nine jurisdictions, a violent confrontation was 590 times more likely than everywhere else in America. And what do those nine counties have in common? Every single one is a Democrat-run sanctuary jurisdiction where local officials openly refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement. Meanwhile, in places where cops are allowed to do their jobs and agencies work together, these confrontations are rare. This isn’t complicated—it’s another case study in how Democrats’ ideological posturing produces dangerous, predictable public-policy failure.
Why? Because ideology has replaced reality.
We hear the same dangerous, false claims over and over again: ICE is the Gestapo. ICE is kidnapping people. ICE is invading schools, hospitals, churches. Immigrants are being “disappeared.” Citizens are being deported.
None of it is true.
Name one U.S. citizen who has been deported. It’s not happening. But the rhetoric continues because it serves a political narrative. And that narrative is dangerous. It can incite violence. It erodes trust. And when paired with laws that tie the hands of law enforcement, it becomes a public safety crisis.
Here’s another uncomfortable truth: the people pushing these policies are insulated from the consequences.
Governor Moore has his own personal security. He lives behind gates. His children attend private schools. Long before he became governor, his wealth protected him from bad public policy. But what about everyone else?
Who protects your family? Who protects your wife when she goes for a jog? Who protects your daughter when she’s coming home from work late at night—if a predator who should have been removed is released instead?
This bill should be called what it is: The Protecting Criminals Act.
And yes, voters must ask themselves: is this what you wanted?
Now, let me be very clear about something else—because facts still matter.
Immigrants are vital to America. I’ve said it on my radio show thousands of times. I’m a city guy. Cities are where immigrants come, work, build families, form neighborhoods, and become Americans. My grandparents were immigrants. My wife’s parents and grandparents were immigrants. I grew up in a neighborhood where most of my friends were first- or second-generation Americans.
High immigration is often a sign of a healthy economy and a vibrant nation. People want to come here. That’s a good thing.
But you’ve been misled if you believe ICE or the Border Patrol is “going after all immigrants.” They are not. Period. That is not happening. Enforcement is about criminals and illegal entry—not law-abiding newcomers trying to build a life.
When politicians push a narrative because it advances their political ideology, that’s not diversity of opinion or, even, a policy difference—that’s dogma. That’s ideology replacing reality—it’s a kind of religiosity. How can someone reason with Governor Moore on ICE when his ideology has replaced his reasoning?
The evidence proves that when local law enforcement cooperates with federal law enforcement, we get historically low homicides in Baltimore City. Yet the Governor wants to outlaw such cooperation when it comes to violent, criminal aliens. No reason or logic; it is simply ideology that cannot be challenged by evidence.
And that’s where we are today. Politics has become religion. And the rest of us are left to live with the consequences.
Governor Moore may be excited. But Marylanders should be alarmed.
