O’Malley Directs State-Run Jail To Cut Back On Immigrant Detentions

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has instructed a state-run jail in Baltimore to stop honoring federal requests to detain inmates beyond their scheduled release dates in order to explore potential immigration violations, unless there is probable cause that those who are being held have broken the law.

The new policy followed an opinion by the Maryland attorney general’s office that such detentions in local and state-run jails could be unconstitutional, in light of recent federal court rulings.

The decision, conveyed in a letter this week, was hailed Friday by immigrant-rights advocates, who said it should help scores of immigrants picked up for traffic violations or other minor infractions and then held for potential deportation.

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