Research Note Researched

Maryland — County-Level Resistance and Protection Measures (2025-2026)

Prince George’s County (FIPS 24033)

Prince George’s County has enacted the most comprehensive local protections in Maryland:

Executive Order No. 9-2026 (Feb 19, 2026):

County Executive Aisha Braveboy signed immediate moratorium on using any county property as a detention center

Legislative Package (Apr 8, 2026 — 4 bills + 2 resolutions):

Employment Ban: Bars anyone who worked for ICE or CBP after Oct 1, 2025 from future county employment
Community Safe Spaces Act: Restricts immigration enforcement on county property; requires federal agents to present valid warrant before entering public facilities
Masking Ban: Bars immigration officers from wearing masks in most situations
Police Oversight: Requires county police to respond to federal immigration actions, document names, badge numbers, and agencies of federal officers

Montgomery County

Montgomery and Prince George’s launched coordinated anti-ICE legislative packages in 2026 — Maryland’s largest counties acting in tandem.

Anne Arundel County (FIPS 24003)

Dropped 287(g) agreement in 2018 after only one year
Despite no formal agreement, in 2025: 710 foreign-born bookings, ICE detainers for 270, ICE picked up 140
ICE agents threatened to condemn Anne Arundel County when it released someone the agency wanted
Shows that informal ICE cooperation continues even without 287(g)

Howard County (FIPS 24027)

Blocked stealth ICE facility in Elkridge (see howard-county-md-elkridge-blocked)
Passed emergency ban on privately owned detention centers
County Executive Calvin Ball led rapid response

The Pattern

Maryland’s resistance is layered:

State level: 287(g) ban, Dignity Not Detention Act, Community Trust Act
County level: Safe spaces ordinances, employment bans, zoning restrictions, permit revocations
Community level: Rallies, packed public meetings, organizing

The gap is in rural western Maryland (Washington County, Frederick, Carroll, etc.) where sheriffs support ICE and county governments are aligned with federal enforcement. This creates a two-Maryland dynamic: urban/suburban counties building protections, rural counties seeking to maintain cooperation.

Sources

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