A bill that would require the Maryland prison system to notify federal authorities when an inmate may be in the country ilegally has drawn the support of heavyweight Democrats including Senate President Mike Miller.
Miller testified in favor of S.B. 227 last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee. If anything in a case record or investigation suggests an inmate is in the country illegally, this bill would require Division of Correction, parole and probation officials to give that inmates name to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency.
Sen. James DeGrange (D) authored the bill. Companion legislation, H.B. 1012, sits on the House of Delegates’ Judiciary Committee. The bill was introduced by Del. Charles Jenkins (R).
CASA de Maryland is one of the groups opposing the proposals. Kim Propeack, CASA’s Political Action director, told Examiner the bill would simply require the state to do what it already does.
In 2008, state prison officials notified federal authorities about 190 foreign-born inmates, and immigrations agents lodged detainers against 107 of them, meaning they could be deported after serving their state prison sentences. During that same period, prison officials said, 114 foreign-born inmates were released into Maryland communities, according to the Baltimore Sun.
“The only difference is … this would be reminder to judges at probation time,” Propeack said. “People who were deportable would serve less time than someone born in this country.”
A similar measure failed last year.
Comments
They are worried to death about November! This is the ONLY reason for dem backing.
Right now I don't care why they support it as long as they do.
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