Amid the chaotic Crossover Day in Annapolis, two immigration-related bills made it out of the respective chambers, clearing a hurdle and increasing the chances of success as the final few weeks of the legislative session unfolds.

A bill backed by Del. Nicole Williams, D-Prince George’s County, would end the current 287-G contracts and prevent new ones from being signed.

The 287-G program is a federal program with different options of participation. Currently, Cecil, Frederick, and Harford Counties participate, allowing detention center staff to run names of inmates through a database to check for immigration enforcement actions, and if there is a detainer, notify ICE. According to ICE, Carroll and Washington Counties’ participation in the program is pending.

“We should not be doing the federal government’s job for them,” Del. Williams told her colleagues during a floor debate Saturday.

Matthew Elliston, Maryland’s ICE director, previously said it’s difficult for ICE to know exactly who is in local detention centers, which is why the program is helpful.

“In prison, we don’t know,” Elliston said during an interview for FOX45 News In Depth. “And that’s where 287-G comes in. They’re going to be the ones to identify those cases and bring them to light.”

The plan passed on third reader in the House of Delegates late Monday afternoon.

In the Senate, Sen. Will Smith’s protected spaces bill passed the chamber Monday as well. The proposal requires the state to provide guidelines for how ICE agents can carry out immigration enforcement actions in so-called sensitive locations, like churches, schools, and hospitals.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order allowing ICE enforcement in such sensitive locations, rolling back previous protections under the Biden Administration. Despite the action at the federal level, Sen. Smith said he’s not concerned about his bill potentially violating federal regulations.

“Because the bill requires a judicial warrant if you’re going to go into a private space that’s publicly accessible,” Sen. Smith said.

Elliston has been clear that his agents are not going into schools in Maryland for ICE enforcement. However, he said keeping the protection in place makes it harder for the agency to arrest violent criminals if they are in the area.

“Our sensitive locations policy was changed for the sole reason that previously it wasn’t the location itself that was off limits. It was a two-block radius around it,” he said. “We were finding that you know, very savvy criminals were seeking out churches and schools to live across the street from knowing that they would be shielded.”

If the legislation does pass the House and goes to Gov. Wes Moore, Elliston said he’s not worried about it impacting his ability to carry out the same plans.

“I think the supremacy clause of the United States is pretty clear on this the legislature doesn’t get to dictate how I operate,” Elliston continued.

Have a news tip? Contact Mikenzie Frost at mbfrost@sbgtv.com.