Moore won’t sign immigration bills, but lets them become law

Gov. Wes Moore will allow two controversial immigration bills to become law without his signature, according to a statement from his office.

Democrats in the General Assembly approved bills that wall off cooperation between immigration enforcement and local jurisdictions in the waning days of the legislative session, capping a round of progressive immigration reforms meant to push back on President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.

Moore’s refusal to sign the bills draws a bright line for the Democratic governor with national ambitions and serves as a stark reminder of the delicate politics surrounding immigration policy.

Moore spokesperson Ammar Moussa said the governor had concerns about the implementation of the two bills, called the Community Trust Act and the Data Privacy Act.

Moore’s decision was first reported by WPYR.

Two dozen local and national immigration rights groups signed onto a letter last week urging Moore to sign both bills, calling them “critical next steps to strengthen Maryland’s defenses against the Trump administration’s mass deportation and family separation agenda.”

Moore has already signed a host of immigration bills, including emergency legislation banning formal agreements, called 287(g) agreements, between federal immigration agencies and local jurisdictions.

The Community Trust Act will block informal relationships between corrections officials in detention centers and law enforcement. Local jurisdictions will not be allowed to hold or detain an individual for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless a judge has issued a warrant. The bill includes exceptions for felony convictions or crimes listed on the sex offender registry list.

Law enforcement leaders vehemently opposed the bill, saying it restricts their ability to communicate with federal partners to keep the public safe.

The governor has walked a political tightrope between backing law enforcement and progressive groups urging public safety reforms that look beyond policing and incarceration for solutions.

Moore said in a statement that the act “presents real implementation challenges that must be addressed through executive action and in next year’s legislative session.”

“Protecting our communities requires seamless coordination among federal, state, and local partners, and the bill creates ambiguities around joint investigations that we are working with the Attorney General’s office to clarify,” Moore said.

The Data Privacy Act prohibits federal agencies from accessing state databases for the purposed of immigration enforcement. Lobbyists from multiple private data companies spoke out against the act.

Supporters of the bill said it plugged gaps needed to protect the personal information of all Marylanders, not just immigrants.

Banner reporter Pamela Wood contributed to this story.

This story will be updated.