In a rare Saturday session that stretched past midnight, Maryland’s House of Delegates gave preliminary approval to the “Community Trust Act” (SB 791/HB 1575) on April 12, 2026. The bill would bar state and local correctional facilities from honoring U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer requests unless accompanied by a federal judicial warrant. It also prohibits jails from providing advance notice of an individual’s release date or transferring people to ICE custody without a court order.
![Maryland House Advances Community Trust Act, Curbing ICE Detainers]()
VisaHQ’s immigration specialists monitor both federal and state-level developments like the Community Trust Act in real time. If your organization needs to move personnel into or out of Maryland—or any other U.S. jurisdiction—our platform can streamline visa and work-permit applications, flag compliance risks, and coordinate emergency documentation when unexpected enforcement actions arise. Explore our services at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
Supporters—led by the Legislative Latino Caucus and more than 80 immigrant-advocacy groups—argue the measure will improve public safety by encouraging undocumented victims and witnesses to cooperate with police without fear of deportation. House Majority Whip Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s) told colleagues the bill “creates one clear statewide standard so no county can be pressured into acting as an arm of federal immigration enforcement.” Republicans countered that the legislation risks the release of people with serious criminal convictions back into communities. GOP floor leader Jason Buckel introduced 20 amendments—many aimed at carving out exceptions for violent offenders—that were defeated after hours of debate. A single friendly amendment clarifying that only individuals who are “convicted” (not merely “charged”) with a qualifying offense may be held for ICE was adopted. If the House grants final passage on Monday, the bill will head to Governor Wes Moore, who has signaled support. Maryland would join states such as California, Illinois and Colorado in sharply limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. For global-mobility managers, the development underscores the growing patchwork of state-level rules that can affect the detention—and ultimately the work authorization—of foreign national employees who face even minor criminal issues while on assignment. Employers with operations in Maryland should review crisis-management protocols, ensure foreign workers know their rights, and identify counsel experienced in both criminal and immigration law. While federal law still controls deportability, the bill would make it harder for ICE to take custody directly from Maryland facilities, likely shifting arrest activity to courthouses and field operations instead.
VisaHQ’s immigration specialists monitor both federal and state-level developments like the Community Trust Act in real time. If your organization needs to move personnel into or out of Maryland—or any other U.S. jurisdiction—our platform can streamline visa and work-permit applications, flag compliance risks, and coordinate emergency documentation when unexpected enforcement actions arise. Explore our services at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/
Supporters—led by the Legislative Latino Caucus and more than 80 immigrant-advocacy groups—argue the measure will improve public safety by encouraging undocumented victims and witnesses to cooperate with police without fear of deportation. House Majority Whip Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s) told colleagues the bill “creates one clear statewide standard so no county can be pressured into acting as an arm of federal immigration enforcement.” Republicans countered that the legislation risks the release of people with serious criminal convictions back into communities. GOP floor leader Jason Buckel introduced 20 amendments—many aimed at carving out exceptions for violent offenders—that were defeated after hours of debate. A single friendly amendment clarifying that only individuals who are “convicted” (not merely “charged”) with a qualifying offense may be held for ICE was adopted. If the House grants final passage on Monday, the bill will head to Governor Wes Moore, who has signaled support. Maryland would join states such as California, Illinois and Colorado in sharply limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. For global-mobility managers, the development underscores the growing patchwork of state-level rules that can affect the detention—and ultimately the work authorization—of foreign national employees who face even minor criminal issues while on assignment. Employers with operations in Maryland should review crisis-management protocols, ensure foreign workers know their rights, and identify counsel experienced in both criminal and immigration law. While federal law still controls deportability, the bill would make it harder for ICE to take custody directly from Maryland facilities, likely shifting arrest activity to courthouses and field operations instead.
