Maryland Backs Off Sanctuary State Proposal

While the California legislature is moving full steam ahead towards turning the whole of their state into a “safe space” for illegal immigrants, their Democratic colleagues across the country in Maryland are backing down from a similar proposal. Lawmakers in the State Senate withdrew a bill this week that had already been criticized by the Trump administration and was headed for a veto on the governor’s desk anyway.

Known as the Maryland Law Enforcement and Governmental Trust Act, the bill would have prohibited police officers in the state from asking about a suspect’s immigration status during a stop and it would have made it illegal for jail officials to detain individuals beyond their scheduled release dates, regardless of requests from the feds.

Despite criticism, Democrats appeared ready to go forward with the bill until a 14-year-old girl was raped in the bathroom by two Montgomery Country high school students – at least one of whom was an illegal immigrant.

According to the Washington Times, that incident might have been the tipping point for moderate Democrats:

Maryland Republican Party Chairman Dirk D. Haire said the bill appeared to have started a “civil war” between the liberal and moderate Democrats in the legislature.

“Mainstream Democrats have been responsive to the message we’ve been sending, which is that sanctuary cities are dangerous,” Mr. Haire said.

He said the uproar over the rape at Rockville High School in Montgomery County highlighted residents’ concerns about sanctuary jurisdictions becoming a magnet for illegal immigrants who commit crimes.

“I think it had the effect of focusing on the fact that criminals are entering illegally and committing crimes,” Mr. Haire said. “It does point out that it’s not just peaceful or hardworking immigrants who are entering the country.”

Instead of going forward with the bill, Maryland Democrats are pursuing compromise legislation that would simply restrict how and when police officers can inquire about a person’s immigration status. But liberals in the legislature are unhappy, saying the bill doesn’t go any further than existing federal law, making it less about compromise and more about theater.

For months, the liberal media has wanted us to believe that President Trump’s anti-illegal immigration efforts would be met with an equal and opposite reaction from the fair-minded, big-hearted American public. No way would we stand by and watch Trump wage war on immigrants. How dare he! We’ll turn all of America into a sanctuary for illegals, dammit!

It ain’t happening. People are starting to wake up. Democrats in California, New York and a few other hotspots may have the luxury of turning their cities and states into “sanctuaries,” but outside of that bubble? Not so much.