ICE Presence In Long Reach Reported

COLUMBIA, MD — There were reportedly multiple people detained in Columbia Wednesday as part of a federal immigration effort in Howard County. Police officials were notified but said they did not participate in any of the activity.

"The Howard County dispatch center received notification this morning that ICE would be in the Columbia area," Howard County Police Department spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said in a statement to Patch Wednesday, June 26. "This was a courtesy call to advise our personnel that there may be some activity, which is standard operating procedure. It was not described as a 'raid,' but more specific criminal enforcement."

Police said that the local law enforcement was not involved.

"ICE did not request HCPD assistance, nor did we offer," Llewellyn said. "Howard County police were not involved in the operation in any way."

Officials wearing shirts that said ICE arrested eight or nine people at a gas station on Tamar Drive near the Long Reach Village Center, a man who lives in the area told The Baltimore Sun. He said that agents asked those in a pickup truck for identification, then let some go while others were detained.

The county executive said that it was a specific operation that the federal government was conducting.

“We have learned that there was ICE activity in Howard County this morning, with many rumors swirling that led to understandable fear. To clarify, this activity was part of a specific, standard criminal enforcement operation, not a raid or sweep. Howard County Police were not involved in the operation in any way," County Executive Calvin Ball said in a statement June 26.

"Though I want to put a stop to any misinformation, I also want to reassure every resident that Howard County opposes the criminalization of undocumented people and our priority continues to be the safety and security of everyone in our community," Ball said. "I want to be clear, Howard County Police do not and will not assist ICE in the enforcement of civil violations of federal immigration laws. Officers in Howard County do not ask residents about their immigration status, nor do they contact ICE if they learn of a civil violation of federal immigration laws."

President Donald Trump announced on Twitter June 17 that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would start removing "millions of illegal aliens" the following week.

The nationwide sweep was slated for June 23, but Trump said it would be put on hold for two weeks, so Democrats could come up with an immigration deal.

"At the request of Democrats, I have delayed the Illegal Immigration Removal Process (Deportation) for two weeks to see if the Democrats and Republicans can get together and work out a solution to the Asylum and Loophole problems at the Southern Border. If not, Deportations start!" Trump said in a statement June 22.

Ball, who is a Democrat, co-sponsored a bill to make Howard County a "sanctuary community" for undocumented immigrants in 2017. At the time, he was a councilman. His predecessor, Republican Allan Kittleman, vetoed the measure.

• Kittleman To Veto 'Sanctuary County' Bill
• 'We Are Disappointed' By Kittleman's Response: Sanctuary Bill Sponsors
• Sanctuary Bill A 'Symbol' For Howard County, Community Members Say
• Howard Council Approves Sanctuary Status, Bill Goes to County Executive
• Trump Cracks Down on Sanctuary Jurisdictions As HoCo Considers Becoming One

In a statement to Howard County residents June 26, Ball made clear his position has not changed.

"In Howard County, we believe diversity is our strength and we will always value inclusion above division," Ball said. "To all residents of Howard County, undocumented or documented, I assure you that your County government will keep working to put your public safety first."

Added Ball: "To know your rights and help protect your neighbors, I encourage you to use this resource from the National Immigration Law Center. Our community will not be baited by fear, and we must hold tight to our shared value of compassion. Howard County stands united against hate and in solidarity with one another."

Muslim civil rights advocacy organization the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement condemning the reported ICE activity in Columbia.

"Today, American Muslims and their allies are marking the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s unconstitutional Muslim travel ban, and it’s impossible to not draw parallels between the impact of that ban and today’s ICE raids targeting immigrant communities in Columbia," CAIR Director of Maryland Outreach Zainab Chaudry said in a statement. "These actions and policies are symptomatic of the Trump administration’s broader anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-refugee agenda, and we condemn this type of fear-mongering and xenophobia in the strongest terms possible."