ROCKVILLE, Md. — Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich pledged Tuesday to cooperate with federal immigration authorities by giving more than 48 hours notice to ICE agents seeking to deport a list of convicted serious criminals in county custody, according to Dr. Earl Stoddard, the Assistant County Administrator in charge of public safety.
Stoddard and Elrich invited ICE Baltimore Field Office Director Darius Reeves to meet Tuesday after Reeves complained publicly that Montgomery County is among Maryland jurisdictions that "recycle" violent offenders targeted for deportation back into the community by failing to honor federal immigration detainers.
Since October of 2023, ICE has issued 119 detainers on individuals in Montgomery County custody, according to an agency spokesman.
Montgomery County officials call the ICE criticism inaccurate and unfair because there are existing policies to coordinate with ICE on honoring detainers. For instance, a DUI offender was picked up by immigration authorities from Montgomery's County's detention center on Feb. 19 after the federal agents were notified by county officials, Stoddard said.
Stoddard called Tuesday's face-to-face meeting with ICE productive, and he predicted the county and ICE will find common ground on more smoothly handing off offenders targeted by ICE for deportation, particularly convicted violent and sex offenders.
"At the end of the day, the County Executive agrees that the individuals who committed these serious and often violent crimes should face the consequences not only of their crimes, but also should be subject to the deportation orders that they're facing," Stoddard said after the meeting.
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More meetings are expected to iron out details of notifying ICE agents for the pick-up of serious offenders for deportation, Stoddard said.
Montgomery officials predict there should be no confusions about handoffs in the future.
A spokesperson for ICE said the agency had no immediate comment on the outcome of Tuesday's meeting, but a federal source with knowledge of the gathering said the collaboration with county officials was very positive.
Reeves has also criticized Prince George's County for allegedly failing to honor detainers.
The county follows guidelines on cooperation provided by the Maryland Attorney General, according to county spokesperson Allyson Wilson.
The Attorney General's memorandum calls on counties to cooperate with ICE when individuals have been convicted of any of a long list of violent or serious crimes.
The county releases targeted individuals for pick up by federal agents outside the county's correctional facility, Wilson said.
Prince George's County officials have not asked ICE for a meeting to discuss the agency's complaints, according to Wilson.