In accordance with Maryland law, the Office of the Attorney General has released updated guidance for interactions with immigration enforcement officials at sensitive locations operated by state and local entities.
During the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session, lawmakers expanded the provisions of the Maryland Values Act that was originally passed in 2025. This was a piece of legislation that established standards for how state and local officials were to interact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at what the bill defines as sensitive locations. A requirement of the bill is for the Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to issue guidance on the standards of the bill for state and local entities that are subject to the provisions.
In advance of the deadline, the OAG has made the updated guidance available to state and local officials earlier this week. A primary focus of the information is to clarify what changes were made during 2026 and how those may dictate updates to local policies that are currently in place. The new requirements mainly affect school locations and personnel, courthouses, and sensitive locations with specific security standards for personnel.
From the guidance:
To comply with the amended policy mandate, public schools, public libraries, and State and local executive branch units that operate at sensitive locations must review this updated guidance and make any necessary changes to their policies as soon as possible after October 1, 2026.