Immigrant Advocacy Group Protest against Maryland Working with the Police

The CASA de Maryland immigrant advocacy group is urging Maryland to not work with the feds. The advocacy group provides legal support to the large and growing community of immigrants, documented or otherwise, in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. On Thursday, August 13, they protested outside the governor’s mansion, calling for the state to not notify the police when someone who is suspected of being in this country illegally is set to be released. Sure enough, this has infuriated the advocacy group, and caused an uptick at local immigration bail bonds offices.

In Maryland, a person who is released from a state-run Baltimore detention center and is considered to be in the United States illegally can find federal law enforcement waiting outside upon their release. The program is called the Priority Enforcement Program. This program allows the Department of Homeland Security the permission to provide documentation allowing someone targeted for deportation, to be detained.

CASA de Maryland advocacy member George Escobar, explained, “These types of collaborations with entities whose sole intent and purpose is to deport our families and separate them are not accomplishing the overall goal of keeping us all safe”. Escobar says that the group supports due process, but worries that immigrants will not call the police if they ever need help, for fear of being deported.

The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, says that they are committed to cooperating with the Department of Homeland Security, so if you have a loved one who is set to be released from a Baltimore detention center and law enforcement is awaiting their release, you may want to contact an immigration bail bondsman for help.

Furthermore, the Department will voluntarily maintain custody of any individual identified by ICE as an immigration enforcement priority for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release to the fullest extent permitted by law. In a continued statement by the Department of Public Safety, “This would require the presentation by DHS officials of a detainer supported by a judicial warrant establishing probable cause.”

If you have a loved one who is being detained in a detention center or ICE center, and they are facing jail time after being released, contact US Immigration Bonds today. Our nationwide immigration bondsmen will do our best to get your loved one properly released.