Baltimore City Council advances 'Safe Spaces and Communities' bill and adopts state-action resolution on immigration enforcement

Baltimore — The Baltimore City Council on Tuesday introduced and advanced City Council Bill 26-0144, called the "Safe Spaces and Communities" bill, and adopted Resolution 26-0046 urging the Maryland General Assembly to prohibit certain immigration-enforcement agreements and law-enforcement face coverings.

Councilmember Ramos, a lead sponsor, said the bill would codify existing city executive orders and Baltimore Police Department policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration officials, require agency plans and data-governance standards, and bar inquiries about an individual’s immigration status. "ICE is already in Baltimore City. Children have come home from school and their parents are gone," Ramos said during her remarks.

The bill’s sponsors — Gray, Parker and Ramos — described the measure as formalizing current practices and preparing city agencies and the police department to respond if federal enforcement escalates. Ramos said the legislation would prohibit local law-enforcement partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and would restrict data sharing and status inquiries by covered city entities.

In the same session the council considered and immediately adopted Resolution 26-0046, a request for state action that calls on the Maryland General Assembly and the governor to enact legislation banning specified enforcement practices and preventing certain government entities from entering into immigration-enforcement agreements. Councilmember Ramos moved to suspend the rules for immediate adoption; the motion passed with no debate and the resolution was adopted.

Supporters framed the actions as protective measures for immigrant families and as declarations of local policy. Council members speaking in favor said the measures align with Baltimore’s values, noting concerns about families separated by federal enforcement and alleged racial profiling. Opposing statements were not recorded during the floor debate on the resolution; the resolution was approved under a voice/roll-call process.

The Safe Spaces bill was assigned to the Public Safety Committee for further consideration. The council did not vote on the bill’s final passage at this meeting; sponsors indicated they expect a hearing and eventual passage following committee review.

Next steps: Resolution 26-0046 took immediate effect when adopted by the council. City Council Bill 26-0144 was referred to the Public Safety Committee for hearings and markup.