Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano said she has filed paperwork for the county to partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — a move county council members say caught them by surprise and is likely to intensify an ongoing debate at the state legislature.

Giordano made the announcement Friday during a news conference at the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, where sheriffs and law enforcement leaders from several Maryland counties sharply criticized Senate Bill 245. The bill would bar state and local agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements and require existing agreements to be terminated by July.

Supporters of the partnerships argued that ending local cooperation with ICE would increase — not reduce — federal immigration enforcement activity in neighborhoods by pushing arrests out of jails and into communities.

Giordano said she reversed course after previously concluding there was no clear legal pathway for the county to enter a 287(g) agreement. She said that paperwork was filed earlier in the week and that the county is now in the process of finalizing the deal, with the support of a majority of county council members, including Council President John Cannon.

Cannon pushed back on that, telling The Baltimore Sun that neither he nor the council had seen the memorandum of understanding Giordano signed to pursue participation in the federal 287(g) program. Cannon said the council requested a copy of the agreement Friday.

“I haven’t seen this agreement,” Cannon said. “What caught us off guard is the statements made that John Cannon and the county council are in favor of the agreement. The fact is that none of us have seen the MOU.”

Giordano said that while council members may not have seen the final version of the agreement, they haven’t been kept in the dark. Any agreement beyond one year requires council approval.

“They are well aware of that,” Giordano said, adding that she has informed the council that this year would serve as a test case for the agreement, which would come to them for a final vote.

Under Maryland law, a county executive or sheriff may enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE without a council vote, so long as the action complies with local code, including spending limits.

Details about the agreement

Giordano said the county is pursuing the “warrant service officer” model of the program, which allows trained local deputies to serve federal immigration warrants on individuals already in local custody.

“This is about targeting dangerous offenders,” Giordano said, emphasizing that the agreement would not authorize street-level immigration enforcement, traffic stops or random checks. “It applies only to individuals who are already in custody and subject to valid federal warrants.”

Giordano said the agreement would improve overall public safety — including for residents concerned about ICE operations in their communities. At one point, she said, “I don’t want a Minneapolis here in Wicomico County.”

“My thought is … if we can work with these counties in the jails, it will keep ICE out of the community, and that’s what we’re hoping to do,” she said.

Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said after officials previously pulled back a proposed 287(g) agreement, “we made it very clear … that we were going to explore all of our options.”

“We do not want another Renee Good incident to occur anywhere in this nation — let alone in Wicomico County,” Lewis said, referring to the woman whom an ICE agent fatally shot this month in Minneapolis. “If we allow the transfer of individuals within our detention center in a secure environment, it prevents ICE agents … from going out into our community and kicking in doors and knocking on doors — which they have full authority to do.”

‘ICE does not have good track records’

Kenson Raymond, an accredited Department of Justice representative with WOLC Immigration Services, attended the news conference and said he was disappointed — but not surprised.

“I do not think this is something that’s going to be good for the community,” he said. “ICE does not have good track records — ICE does not respect the law. ICE comes in, they’re gonna destroy our population [through] fear … following the law, that’s not something that ICE does.”

For immigrants reading the news, Raymond said there are agencies that offer help — and to trust the process.

“I understand the decision is very frightful. But know that there is a process, so make sure you continue to seek legal counseling,” he said. “If you have an attorney, speak with your attorney. We are here to help if needed.”

Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at jdavis@baltsun.com or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore.