Prince George’s County may lose Federal Funds for Sanctuary status and failing to hold gun-toting criminal for ICE agents

Prince George’s County may lose Federal Funds for failing to hold gun-toting criminal for ICE agents

PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY OFFICIALS WILL SOON LOSE FEDERAL FUNDS DUE TO THEIR REFUSAL TO COOPERATE WITH ICE

FROM ATTORNEY GENERAL PAMELA BONDI:
End Funding to State and Local Jurisdictions That Unlawfully Interfere with Federal Law Enforcement Operations
Sanctuary jurisdictions should not receive access to federal grants administered by the Department of Justice. The Department will exercise its own authority to impose any conditions of funding that do not violate applicable constitutional or statutory limitations. See New York v. Dep ‘t ofJustice, 951 F.3d 84, 111 (2d Cir. 2020) (“Because 8 U.S.C. § 1373 is a law applicable to all plaintiffs in this action, the Attorney General was authorized to impose the challenged Certification Condition and did not violate either the AP A or separation of powers by doing so.”).
Federal law provides that state and local jurisdictions “may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, [federal immigration officers] information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any

WILL THEY RISK LOSING LARGE SUMS OF FEDERAL FUNDS AND CAUSE TAXES TO INCREASE? Do they care about the safety of the citizens of PG County as dangerous MS-13 gangs swarm over the area?

ATTORNEY GENERAL ORDERS FUNDS TO BE WITHHELD FROM SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS

BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an undocumented Guatemalan alien with criminal charges. Gener Pop-Cuz, 20, was arrested on Feb. 1 after the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer.

The corrections department released Pop into the lobby instead of safely handing him over to the ICE deportation officer who was waiting for the exchange, and he resisted arrest during the initial encounter. However, Pop was eventually subdued and placed in handcuffs as corrections officers failed to intervene.

“Nobody wins when jurisdictions fail to transfer custody of violent offenders,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Baltimore acting Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “Cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE is critical to ensuring the safety of our officers, the public, and even the criminal aliens in custody. I strongly encourage our local jurisdictions to evaluate their policies and look forward to the day when we can put aside politics and do what’s best for the people of Maryland.”

The U.S. Border Patrol encountered Pop near Rio Grande Valley, Texas, on Nov. 13, 2017, and served him a notice to appear, transferring him to ICE custody on the same date. ICE released Pop on an order of recognizance on Nov. 15, 2017.

A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Pop removed to Guatemala on Nov. 16, 2022, after he failed to show up for his immigration hearing.

The Laurel Police Department arrested and charged Pop on Feb. 1 with possession of a loaded handgun, illegal possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm, and trespassing on private property. He was released on bond by the Prince George’s County Commissioner’s Office the same date. ICE then lodged an immigration detainer on Pop with the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections in Upper Marlboro.

Pop will remain in the custody of ICE pending removal.

ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. EOIR is a separate entity from DHS and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

Detainers are critical public safety tools because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens arrested for criminal activity. Detainers increase the safety of all parties involved — ERO personnel, law enforcement officials, the removable noncitizens, and the public — by allowing an arrest in a secure and controlled custodial setting instead of at-large within the community. Since detainers directly transfer a noncitizen from state or local custody to ERO custody, they also minimize the potential that an individual will re-offend. Additionally, detainers conserve scarce government resources by allowing ERO to directly take criminal noncitizens into custody rather than expending resources to locate these individuals at large.
Anyone can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.