Executive Order Affirms Constitutional Rights of Baltimore Residents, Disallows Use of City Property as Unpermitted Staging Area for Federal Immigration Enforcement
BALTIMORE, MD (Wednesday, March 4, 2026) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the signing of an executive order that reaffirms the City of Baltimore's commitment to protecting residents' constitutional rights and safety. The recent deployment of federal enforcement agents to cities across the United States - which has led to violent and deadly confrontations between civilians and law enforcement - has created chaos and fear within communities, while raising serious concerns regarding civil rights violations. The executive order, entitled "Protecting the Rights and Well-Being of Baltimore City Residents," emphasizes the City's commitment to its status as a welcoming city that upholds the dignity, safety, and rights of all its residents.
"For months, our team has been closely monitoring aggressive, reckless, and violent federal immigration enforcement in cities and communities around the country," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "This executive order is one of many actions we're taking to protect public safety and our residents in Baltimore. Our immigrant neighbors are an integral part of Baltimore's social and economic fabric. They are our business owners, essential workers, homeowners, neighbors, and friends. We are committed to the inclusion, access, safety, and rights of all people who call our city home - and we will never apologize for that."
The executive order clarifies several relevant, existing policies, details proactive steps being taken by the City to uphold constitutional protections for residents, confirms that the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) remains under local authority, and outlines City policies toward any potential federal immigration enforcement efforts. The full executive order can be viewed here.
Protecting the Rights and Well-Being of Residents
Immigrant communities are an essential part of Baltimore's social and economic fabric. In response to reckless federal immigration enforcement and the ongoing fight over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the executive order lays out policies to ensure residents - regardless of race, ethnicity, or immigration status - are protected and can access City services.
The City will expand its Know Your Rights outreach efforts, by launching a new resources webpage to remind residents of their constitutional rights. The website will include the City's revamped Safe City Baltimore program through the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA). The program offers know your rights education, immigration legal screenings, and support for families impacted by detention.
To ensure that residents can access City services free from fear of immigration enforcement, the executive order reiterates its existing internal policy for City staff and contractors which prohibits ICE agents from entering City facilities without a judicial warrant.
The executive order also announces that the City is prepared to pursue all legal avenues to challenge unconstitutional federal actions if necessary. The City will also regularly submit Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the Department of Homeland Security to obtain information related to immigration enforcement activities within Baltimore City.
Retaining Local Control of the Baltimore Police Department
The executive order also affirms that BPD will remain committed to protecting all of our residents, especially our immigrant neighbors. The order ensures that BPD will remain under local control, and makes clear that immigration enforcement remains the responsibility of the federal government, not local police. Per BPD's longstanding policy, Baltimore police officers do not and will not ask about immigration status during routine interactions, do not and will not detain someone based solely on their immigration status, and will neither assist nor interfere with civil immigration enforcement.
Unless otherwise directed, BPD officers are required to wear department-issued uniforms and equipment while on duty; BPD officers must also provide their rank, name, and badge number to any member of the public if asked. The executive order urges all federal law enforcement agents in Baltimore to adhere to the same standards of transparency when interacting with residents.
Restriction on the Use of City Property
The executive order further directs City agencies with authority over physical property to not allow their properties from being used by ICE agents as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases without a valid judicial warrant.
Pro Bono Work
Finally, the order authorizes the City Solicitor and City attorneys to volunteer their personal time to represent residents involved in immigration cases on a pro bono basis.