Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told a House Judiciary subcommittee that these restrictions could force correctional officers to release an illegal immigrant even after ICE has flagged that person as a public‑safety or national‑security threat. He is also leading a lawsuit together with 16 other sheriffs, which together represent about two‑thirds of the state’s sheriffs.

Gahler pointed to two high‑profile crimes in his county as evidence of the risk. In August 2023, Rachel Morin, a mother of five, was raped and murdered by an illegal immigrant from El Salvador. In July 2022, Kayla Hamilton, a 20‑year‑old autistic woman, was raped and strangled by another illegal immigrant who entered the U.S. as an unaccompanied minor.

The sheriff argues that if the law forces the release of people already identified by ICE as threats, any new crimes would be blamed on the legislators who approved the restrictions. He says the policy undermines a previously existing jail‑based partnership with ICE that allowed safe transfers of dangerous migrants.

Governor Wes Moore allowed the Community Trust Act to become law without signing it, meaning it took effect automatically. Law‑enforcement leaders fear that the reduced cooperation with ICE could directly affect community safety, which is why they are challenging the measure in court.