IM Current Session

Immigration and the 2025 Session

✅ Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act) – HB 1222 had its original provisions replaced with language (mostly from SB 828) relating to sensitive locations and protecting personal data, and was passed.

⇒ Protecting Sensitive Locations Act – SB 828

⇒ Maryland Data Privacy Act – SB 977

While the bill retained its original title, it no longer dealt with ending the agreements between local law enforcement and ICE, but did enact two of UULM-MD’s other main priority measures for immigration.

1. Protecting Sensitive Locations Act – SB 828- Requires that federal law enforcement officers notify state police federal immigration action at certain sensitive locations; prohibiting certain schools, libraries, and units of State or local government that operate at certain sensitive locations from allowing certain federal personnel access to areas not accessible to the general public, subject to certain exceptions; requiring the Attorney General to develop and publish certain guidance regarding immigration enforcement actions at certain sensitive locations;

2. Maryland's Data Privacy Act-SB 977: Included provisions that would require state agencies to create rules about how they share data in a way that protects privacy. This will build on previous legislation that protects the data in the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA).

While we weren’t able to end 287g agreements between ICE and local law enforcement agencies. We will continue to advocate for an end to this program in Maryland. In fact, during the session, four additional counties signed 287g agreements with ICE, so we now have seven counties that have agreements with ICE: Frederick, Cecil, Harford, Washington, Carroll, Garrett, and St. Mary’s.

Finally, a quieter fight (purposefully and strategically) was won–$5,000,000 was allocated in the budget to provide legal representation for detained immigrants. UULM-MD has long supported the Access to Counsel Legislation, in 2022, our Lead Advocate Jim Caldiero wrote "Legal representation can be the difference between winning and losing an immigration case in court and can mean the difference between life and death for those who have a credible fear of returning to their home country."

For more information, please contact our Immigration Issue Lead, Jim Caldiero at Immigration@uulmmd.org

Subject	Bill Number	XFile Bill Number	Sponsor	Title	Status	Current Location	Priority	Position	Synopsis
Enforcement (Maryland Values Act)	HB1222		Delegate Williams	Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement (Maryland Values Act)	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 718		x	Support	Requiring federal law enforcement officers to notify certain individuals of federal immigration action at certain sensitive locations; prohibiting certain schools, libraries, and units of State or local government that operate at certain sensitive locations from allowing certain federal personnel access to areas not accessible to the general public, subject to certain exceptions; requiring the Attorney General to develop and publish certain guidance regarding immigration enforcement actions at certain sensitive locations; etc.
Enforcement - Sensitive Locations	HB1006		Delegate Wilkins	Immigration Enforcement - Sensitive Locations - Guidelines and Policies (Protecting Sensitive Locations Act)	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary	x	Support	Requiring the Attorney General to develop guidelines relating to immigration enforcement at sensitive locations; and requiring State agencies that operate at sensitive locations to adopt certain policies or provide notice of a decision not to adopt certain policies.
Enforcement - Sensitive Locations	SB0828		Senator Smith	Immigration Enforcement - Sensitive Locations - Access, Guidance, and Policies (Protecting Sensitive Locations Act)	Failed-conference committee not adopted		x	Support	Prohibiting certain schools, libraries, and units of State government that operate at certain sensitive locations from allowing certain federal personnel to access certain areas, subject to certain exceptions; requiring the Attorney General to develop guidance regarding immigration enforcement at certain sensitive locations and guidance regarding individuals interacting with certain federal personnel; and requiring certain schools, libraries and units of State government to adopt policies consistent with the guidelines.
In-State Tuition - Undocumented Students	HB0207	SB0268	Delegate Pasteur	Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Education, Energy, and the Environment	x	Support	Altering, from 3 years to 2 years, the number of years before an academic year for which an individual or the individual's parent or guardian must file taxes to be eligible to receive an out-of-state tuition exemption.
In-State Tuition - Undocumented Students	SB0268	HB0207	Senator Brooks	Higher Education - Undocumented Students - Out-of-State Tuition Exemption Eligibility	Failed-no vote in original committee		x	Support	Altering, from 3 years to 2 years, the number of years before an academic year for which an individual or the individual's parent or guardian must file taxes to be eligible to receive an out-of-state tuition exemption.
Maryland Data Privacy Act	HB1431		Delegate Charkoudian	State and Local Agencies - Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law - Restrictions on Access to Information (Maryland Data Privacy Act)	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary	x	Support	Altering certain provisions of law to require a law enforcement agency or a unit of State or local government to deny access to certain databases by certain individuals seeking access for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration law, under certain circumstances; requiring the Attorney General to enforce certain provisions of the Act; and providing that a State employee who violates certain provisions of the Act is subject to certain discipline.
Maryland Data Privacy Act	SB0977		Senator Lam	Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law - Restrictions on Access to Information (Maryland Data Privacy Act)	Failed-no vote in opposite committee	Judiciary	x	Support	Prohibiting a certain person in possession of certain data, information, and records from sharing or otherwise making the data, information, and records available under certain circumstances; altering certain provisions of law to require a law enforcement agency or a unit of State or local government to deny access to certain databases, facilities, or buildings by certain individuals seeking access for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration law, under certain circumstances; etc.
U Nonimmigrant Status/ Sensitive Locations	HB0579	SB0608	Delegate Embry	Criminal Procedure - U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions and Immigration Enforcement at Sensitive Locations	Failed-conference committee not adopted		x	Support	Requiring federal law enforcement officers to notify certain individuals of federal immigration action at certain sensitive locations; altering the requirements for certification of a U Nonimmigrant Status Petition; altering the individuals eligible to request a certain official to certify victim helpfulness relating to certification of a U Nonimmigrant Status Petition; authorizing the disclosure of certain information under certain circumstances; etc.
U Nonimmigrant Status - Petition	SB0608	HB0579	Senator Augustine	Criminal Procedure - U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions	Approved by the Governor - Chapter 114		t		Altering the requirements for certification of a U Nonimmigrant Status Petition; altering the individuals eligible to request a certain official to certify victim helpfulness relating to certification of a U Nonimmigrant Status Petition; altering the time periods within which a certain certifying entity shall certify or decline a certain form under certain circumstances; and requiring a certifying entity to develop protocols to assist certain petitioners to take certain actions.
Anti-Sanctuary Policies	HB0085		Delegate Mangione	State and Local Government - Sanctuary Policies and Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law (Rachel Morin Act)	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary	0	Oppose	Repealing provisions of law prohibiting law enforcement agents from taking certain actions related to an individual's citizenship or immigration status; prohibiting a county or municipality from adopting, enacting, or enforcing a sanctuary policy; requiring a county or municipality to fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities regarding certain individuals unlawfully present in the United States; etc.
Transfer of Undocumented to ICE	HB0403	SB0387	Delegate Pippy	Correctional Services - Transfers to Federal Authorities - Undocumented Immigrants (Protecting Marylanders From Violent Offenders Act of 2025)	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary	0	Oppose	Requiring a State or local correctional facility with custody of an undocumented immigrant who is serving a sentence in the facility for conviction of a crime, on request of the United States Department of Homeland Security, to transfer the undocumented immigrant to the United States Department of Homeland Security under certain circumstances.
Transfer of Undocumented to ICE	SB0387	HB0403	Senator Folden	Correctional Services - Transfers to Federal Authorities - Undocumented Immigrants (Protecting Marylanders From Violent Offenders Act of 2025)	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judicial Proceedings	0	Oppose	Requiring a State or local correctional facility with custody of an undocumented immigrant who is serving a sentence in the facility for conviction of a crime, on request of the United States Department of Homeland Security, to transfer the undocumented immigrant to the United States Department of Homeland Security under certain circumstances.
Disclosure of Employee Immigration Status	HB1476		Delegate Woorman	Labor and Employment - Disclosure of Employee's Immigration Status - Prohibition	Failed-no vote in original committee	Economic Matters		Support	Prohibiting an employer from disclosing or threatening to disclose an employee's immigration status to a public body for the purpose of concealing an employer's violation of certain labor, benefit, or tax laws; authorizing the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to investigate a violation of the Act on the Commissioner's own initiative or on receipt of a written complaint; and authorizing an alleged violator to request an administrative hearing.
No Immigration Enforcement-School Staff	HB1504		Delegate Ruff	Juvenile Law - Child in Need of Supervision - Mandatory Petition (NyKayla Strawder Memorial Act)	Failed-not referred to a standing committee	Rules and Executive Nominations			Requiring an intake officer to file a petition alleging that a child under the age of 13 years is a child in need of supervision if the child is alleged to have committed an act that results in the death of a victim; and requiring a law enforcement officer to forward a complaint alleging that a child under the age of 13 years committed an act that resulted in the death of a victim to the Department of Juvenile Services for appropriate action.
Private Detention Facilities-Legal Rights	HB1011	SB0786	Speaker	Correctional Services - Private Detention Facilities - Deprivation of Rights, Privileges, and Immunities	Unfavorable Report by Judiciary; Withdrawn			Support	Prohibiting a person from depriving an individual in a private detention facility of any right, privilege, or immunity secured by the United States Constitution, the Maryland Constitution, the Maryland Declaration of Rights, or any state or federal law; authorizing the Office of the Attorney General to investigate a violation of the Act; authorizing the Office of the Attorney General to file a civil action against a person for a violation of the Act under certain circumstances; etc.
Private Detention Facilities-Legal Rights	SB0786	HB1011	President	Correctional Services - Private Detention Facilities - Deprivation of Rights, Privileges, and Immunities	Unfavorable Report by Judicial Proceedings; Withdrawn			Support	Prohibiting a person from depriving an individual in a private detention facility of any right, privilege, or immunity secured or protected by the United States Constitution, the Maryland Constitution, the Maryland Declaration of Rights, or any state or federal law; authorizing the Office of the Attorney General to investigate a violation of the Act; authorizing the Office of the Attorney General to file a civil action against a person for a violation of the Act under certain circumstances; etc.
Required Cooperation in Enforcement	HB1307		Delegate Chisholm	Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Cooperation	Unfavorable Report by Judiciary; Withdrawn			Oppose	Requiring a certain law enforcement agency, law enforcement agent, and local detention facility, if requested by federal immigration authorities, to notify federal immigration authorities about certain matters and cooperate with federal immigration authorities for a certain purpose; and prohibiting the State, a unit of local government, a county sheriff, or an agency of the State or a unit of local government from adopting, implementing, or enforcing certain policies.
Required Cooperation with ICE	HB1188		Delegate Miller	Public Safety - Immigration Enforcement - Cooperation	Unfavorable Report by Judiciary; Withdrawn			Oppose	Requiring law enforcement agencies, law enforcement agents, and local detention facilities who take custody of an individual to run a search of the individual in the National Crime Information Center, make a certain notice to federal immigration authorities, and cooperate with federal immigration authorities in regards to certain individuals; and prohibiting the State, a unit of local government, a county sheriff, or an agency of the State or a unit of local government from adopting, implementing, or enforcing certain policies.
Transfer of Undocumented to ICE	HB0653		Delegate Szeliga	Correctional Services - Transfers to Federal Authorities - Undocumented Immigrants (Protecting Marylanders From Violent Crime Act of 2025)	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary		Oppose	Requiring a certain State or local correctional facility, on request of the United States Department of Homeland Security, to transfer a certain undocumented immigrant to the United States Department of Homeland Security under certain circumstances.
U Nonimmigrant - Victim Helpfulness	HB0686	SB0553	Delegate Solomon	Victims and Witnesses - U Nonimmigrant Status - Certification of Victim Helpfulness	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judiciary			Altering the criteria for determining whether a certain victim or the victim's parent, guardian, or next friend shall be considered to be helpful, to have been helpful, or likely to be helpful to the detection, investigation, or prosecution of certain criminal activity for a certain purpose; altering the time periods within which a certain certifying entity shall certify or decline a certain form under certain circumstances; etc.
U Nonimmigrant - Victim Helpfulness	SB0553	HB0686	Senator Augustine	Victims and Witnesses - U Nonimmigrant Status - Certification of Victim Helpfulness	Failed-no vote in original committee	Judicial Proceedings			Altering the criteria for determining whether a certain victim or the victim's parent, guardian, or next friend shall be considered to be helpful, to have been helpful, or likely to be helpful to the detection, investigation, or prosecution of certain criminal activity for a certain purpose; altering the time periods within which a certain certifying entity shall certify or decline a certain form under certain circumstances; etc.