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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0444*
HOUSE BILL 444
E4 EMERGENCY BILL 6lr2554
CF SB 245
By: Delegates Williams, Acevero, Addison, Allen, Alston, Amprey, Bagnall, Barnes,
Behler, Boafo, Boyce, Charkoudian, Coley, Crutchfield, Cullison, Davis,
Ebersole, Edelson, Embry, Fair, Feldmark, Fennell, Foley, Forbes,
Fraser–Hidalgo, Guzzone, Harrison, Healey, Hill, Holmes, Ivey, A. Johnson,
S. Johnson, D. Jones, Kaiser, Kaufman, Korman, Lehman, Lewis, J. Long,
Lopez, Martinez, McCaskill, Mireku –North, Moon, Moreno,
Palakovich Carr, Pasteur, Patterson, Phillips, Qi, Roberson, Rogers,
Rosenberg, Ruff, Rut h, Shetty, Simpson, Smith, Solomon, Spiegel, Stein,
Stewart, Stinnett, Taveras, Taylor, Terrasa, Toles, Turner, Valderrama,
Vogel, Watson, Wells, White Holland, Wilkins, Wims, Wolek, Woods,
Woorman, Young, and Ziegler
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 2, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Immigration Enforcement Agreements – Prohibition 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the State, a unit of local government, a county sheriff, or 3
any agency, officer, employee, or agent of the State or a unit of local government from 4
entering into a certain immigration enforcement agreement; requiring the 5
termination of an existing immigration enforcement agreement on or before a certain 6
date; and generally relating to immigration enforcement. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Criminal Procedure 9
Section 5–104.1 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2025 Replacement Volume) 12
2 HOUSE BILL 444
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Criminal Procedure 3
5–104.1. 4
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION , “IMMIGRATION ENFORCEM ENT AGREEMENT ” 5
MEANS A CONTRACT , AN AGREEMENT , AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL SERVICE 6
AGREEMENT, OR A MEMORANDUM OF U NDERSTANDING WITH TH E FEDERAL 7
GOVERNMENT THAT AUTH ORIZES THE STATE, A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVE RNMENT, A 8
COUNTY SHERIFF, OR ANY AGENCY, OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, OR AGENT OF THE STATE 9
OR A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE CIVIL IMMIGRATION LAW. 10
(2) “IMMIGRATION ENFORCEME NT AGREEMENT ” INCLUDES AN 11
AGREEMENT MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH: 12
(I) 8 U.S.C. § 1103; 13
(II) 8 U.S.C. § 1357; OR 14
(III) ANY OTHER FEDERAL LAW. 15
(B) THE STATE, A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVE RNMENT, A COUNTY SHERIFF , OR 16
ANY AGENCY, OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, OR AGENT OF THE STATE OR A UNIT OF LO CAL 17
GOVERNMENT MAY NOT ENTER INTO AN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT. 18
(C) THE STATE, A UNIT OF LOCAL GOVE RNMENT, A COUNTY SHERIFF , OR 19
ANY AGENCY, OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, OR AGENT OF THE STATE OR A UNIT OF LO CAL 20
GOVERNMENT WITH AN EXISTING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT SHALL 21
EXERCISE THE TERMINA TION PROVISION CONTA INED IN THE IMMIGRAT ION 22
ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT NOT LATER THAN JULY 1, 2026. 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 24
1, 2026. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the State, a unit of local 26
government, a county sheriff, or any agency, officer, employee, or agent of the State or a 27
unit of local government with an existing immigration enforcement agreement shall 28
exercise the termination provision contained in the immigration enforcement agreement 29
immediately on the taking effect of this Act. 30
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 31
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 32
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three –fifths of all the members elected to 33
HOUSE BILL 444 3
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 1
enacted. 2
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.