Maryland — ICE Arrest Surge 2025 (3,300+ detained, majority non-criminal)
Key Statistics
| Period | Arrests | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Last 4 months of 2023 | 387 | Maryland Matters |
| All of 2024 | 1,353 | Maryland Matters |
| Jan 1 – Oct 15, 2025 | 3,308 | Maryland Matters |
| Jan 20, 2025 – Jan 19, 2026 | 4,800+ | Baltimore Banner |
2025 arrests were 2.4x the 2024 total in just the first 10 months.
Criminal History Breakdown (Jan-Oct 2025)
- 1,073 (32%): Criminal convictions
- 519 (16%): Criminal charges pending
- 1,652 (50.9%): No criminal charges whatsoever
- By January 2026: 80% of those arrested had no criminal history
The non-criminal share has been increasing over time — from ~50% in mid-2025 to ~80% by early 2026.
Geographic and Demographic Scope
- Immigrants from 81 countries swept up (Argentina to Yemen)
- Baltimore field office operations, with limited holding capacity at Fallon Federal Building
- The surge put extreme pressure on Baltimore’s temporary holding cells, contributing to the push for the Williamsport warehouse
Fallon Building Hold-Room Conditions Litigation (2026)
The arrest surge overwhelmed the George H. Fallon Federal Building ICE hold rooms in downtown Baltimore, producing litigation in early 2026:
- March 2026: MD AG Anthony Brown sued ICE/DHS to force production of records for a civil-rights investigation into “dangerous, inhumane, and unlawful conditions” at the Fallon hold rooms.
- A related class action before U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin: the facility, designed for ~56 people, was alleged to be holding 120+. Declarations described 40-50 people in a 15x15 room, no bedding, extreme cold, a detainee with a brain tumor untreated for 10+ days, and a woman so distressed she repeatedly banged her head against a wall.
- Rubin certified the class and ordered ICE to cap the facility at 56 detainees, conduct medical screenings within 12 hours of arrival, provide hygiene supplies and medication on request within 24 hours, and clean rooms at least once daily.
The Fallon conditions are the federal pressure point behind Baltimore City’s 2026 anti-ICE legislative stack (see baltimore-city-md-private-detention-ban).
Aggressive Tactics
- July 2025: Advocates describe shift to “incredibly aggressive” tactics by ICE in Maryland
- July 2025: Maryland Congressional delegation denied access to inspect Baltimore ICE facility
- October 2025: Case of Minoska Maldonado-Deras in Carroll County — released via GoFundMe, then hauled back into custody during an ICE appointment
Context
Maryland is a blue state with significant immigrant population — the arrest surge, combined with the 287(g) expansion to 9 counties, represents the tension between state-level resistance and federal enforcement priorities. The state’s legislative response (287(g) ban, Dignity Not Detention, Community Trust Act) is among the most comprehensive in the nation.
Sources
- More than 3,300 Marylanders were detained by ICE in 2025 — Maryland Matters (Jan 11, 2026)
- Maryland ICE arrests tripled under Trump in 2025 — Baltimore Banner
- Immigrant arrests in Maryland hit new high. Most have no criminal record — Baltimore Banner
- In rush for immigration arrests, a shift by ICE — Maryland Matters (Jul 26, 2025)
- Fewer than half of ICE arrestees under Trump are convicted criminals — Maryland Matters (Jul 28, 2025)
- Attorney General Brown Files Lawsuit to Force ICE to Turn Over Records — MD Office of the Attorney General (Mar 2026)
- Maryland sues ICE, DHS amid AG investigation into conditions at Baltimore facility — CBS Baltimore (Mar 2026)
- Maryland ramps up legal action against federal immigration facilities — Maryland Matters (Mar 11, 2026)