[NTD] A county in Maryland has partially reversed a sanctuary policy just three months after it was passed. The move comes after a string of illegal immigrants have been charged with rape in Montgomery County.The policy banned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials from accessing secure portions of Montgomery County jail. It’s reversal, which was effectively immediately, means ICE can now access "identified areas" of the jail to "ensure that transfers are conducted in a safe environment."
The policy says ICE must submit an immigration detainer and arrive at the jail an hour before the inmate is set to be released, reported WJLA. If ICE fails to comply for whatever reason, the county will release the illegal immigrant into the community, just as the county was doing before, regardless of the crime the person has been charged with.
According to the station, the discharge time can take anywhere between less than an hour to half a day, depending on several factors such as the number of jail staff, population of the inmates at that particular jail, and home verification checks.
Law enforcement sources told WJLA that local and federal authorities in Montgomery County cooperated in the transfer of an individual on Oct. 21.