Baltimore’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office has arrested a record-breaking 175 sex offenders this fiscal year. That tramples their previous high of 152 arrests in 2023, despite being the smallest of 25 field offices nationwide, serving just the state of Maryland.

“A lot of that is due to the cooperation that we have with Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County,” said Baltimore Field Office Director Matthew Elliston.

Looking back, Elliston attributes much of the success to repairing relationships with once-strict sanctuary jurisdictions. Progress was made by emphasizing ICE’s targeted enforcement strategies, only allowing for the arrests of accused and convicted criminals.

“Instead of us, you know, chasing people around the state, they’re now transferring those sex offenders directly to us in jail. Which makes the whole process much safer for the community, safer for my officers, and much more efficient,” said Elliston.

But looking toward a Trump presidency, promising to push mass deportations on day one, some local leaders are already threatening to pull back corporations.

“I believe that it is very important to welcome immigrants,” said Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman at a press conference last week, announcing new protections for undocumented immigrants.

“We refuse to aid and abet outside agencies attempting to detain deport or remove any residents from our community,” said Frederick Mayor Michael O’Connor at a similar event.

“What I’m concerned with is that we go back to what has happened in the past, where people have not seen past the politics of it and have sacrificed public safety in order for political benefit,” said Elliston, “The only thing that a local, county or state government really can do to hinder Immigration and Customs Enforcement is to not turn over prisoners, people in jail for a local crime that their police officers arrested them for.”

As some jurisdictions scramble to implement new protective policies for noncitizens, Elliston stresses ICE is only asking for access to local law enforcement agencies. Cooperation that a Gonzales poll, released earlier this year, found 84% of Maryland residents support.

“We are not asking to work with social services. We are not asking to identify victims. We don’t do that. We want to continue working with police departments to make Maryland the safest place we can,” said Elliston, “And the idea that you would create legislation to prohibit that, it’s just not smart. It’s dangerous.”

“I think there is a very real fear, though, that essentially, anyone who is undocumented will suddenly be at risk under a Trump administration. Do you foresee that being a reality?” questioned a FOX45 reporter.

“So, if you look back to what happened in the last Trump administration, right, the policy was enforce the law,” Elliston replied, “But you have resource constraints, right? If somebody’s bicycle that’s stolen in Baltimore City, they’re not assigning a detective to that case.”

Although he can’t say exactly what new policies a Trump presidency will bring, Elliston explains his field office has a very limited amount of manpower and prison space. Adding, the priority, no matter who is in office, will always be taking violent offenders off the streets.

“Now, that does not mean that everyone will get a pass. It’s just, we won’t be specifically going out looking for those people. If we come across them in another scenario, you know, we may end up taking action,” he said, “But we won’t be out doing some sort of large dragnet. ICE does targeted enforcement operations, and we will continue to do targeted enforcement operations.”

Elliston also says he plans on taking to Annapolis this legislative session to push for new statewide policies that would ensure all jurisdictions turn inmates over to ICE.

Have a news tip? Contact Rebecca Pryor at rkpryor@sbgtv.com.