Officials in a Maryland county approved a resolution expressing their “full support” for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and other law enforcement agencies.
The Board of County Commissioners of Washington County approved the resolution on Tuesday morning, which states that the board also “encourages ongoing cooperation and partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to ensure the welfare and security of all citizens and legal residents,” according to ABC7 News.
The resolution is also “effective immediately upon adoption.”
“The Board of County Commissioners of Washington County hereby declares its intent to support DHS and ICE in the enforcement of our nation’s borders, safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system, and ensuring that all persons are treated with dignity and compassion within our jurisdiction,” the resolution says.
According to the outlet, the details of the resolution state:
• “The Board of County Commissioners of Washington County, Maryland, hereby expresses its full support for DHS and ICE, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and local municipal law enforcement agencies in their efforts to maintain public safety and uphold the rule of law;
• The Board of County Commissioners of Washington County encourages ongoing cooperation and partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to ensure the welfare and security of all citizens and legal residents within our jurisdiction;
• The Board of County Commissioners of Washington County hereby declares its intent to support DHS and ICE in the enforcement of our nation’s borders, safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system, and ensuring that all persons are treated with dignity and compassion within our jurisdiction.
• This resolution shall be effective immediately upon adoption, and a copy shall be transmitted to the DHS, ICE, and local law enforcement agencies as a sign of our unwavering support and commitment to their mission.”
The approval of the resolution comes after the DHS was reported to have “purchased a warehouse near Hagerstown for more than $100 million,” according to the outlet.
In a letter addressed to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on February 6, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) expressed his “concerns” over the DHS’s “apparent plans to house a new” ICE facility at the recently purchased warehouse, according to the Daily Voice.
Moore expressed that “federal occupation” of the warehouse would present “a significant loss of economic opportunity, not only for western Maryland” but for the state, and claimed “there has been a troubling lack of transparency in the process to acquire this site.”
“First, federal occupation of the property — originally designed as a commercial distribution site during COVID — presents a significant loss of economic opportunity, not only for western Maryland but for the entire state,” Moore said in his letter. “Warehouse facilities in Washington County—including support for manufacturing, logistics, and distribution across the region—contribute significantly to our local and state economies, supporting about 4,000 jobs, hundreds of millions in wages, and more than $450 million in combined capital investment.”
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