Maryland, My Maryland

Da Balmer Sun, Maryland lawmakers restrict cooperation with federal immigration agencies, advance new congressional maps

Maryland jails will no longer house federal immigration detainees and federal immigration agents’ access to state databases will be limited, following actions Tuesday by state lawmakers.

The Maryland General Assembly voted to overturn two vetoes from Gov. Larry Hogan of the bills, meaning the measures will become law.

As lawmakers worked through their second day of a special legislative session, they also advanced a new set of boundary lines for the state’s eight congressional districts, the primary purpose of their return to Annapolis this week.

The votes to overturn Hogan’s in the House of Delegates and Senate represent a victory for immigrant advocates, who have argued that immigrants, legal or otherwise, live and work in fear of being picked up by authorities and locked up for minor infractions. And they’ve questioned the ethics of profiting off jailing people.
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Sen. William C. Smith Jr. said federal law enforcement agents still can access the driver’s license databases without a warrant if it’s part of a criminal investigation. The databases now will be off-limits only for immigration cases.

I wish my voice counted . . .

Turning their attention to the special legislative session’s primary task, the House of Delegates approved a new map largely along party lines Tuesday night, sending the measure to the state Senate for consideration.

The map, which enjoys support from Democrats but draws disdain from Republicans, likely would keep seven of the state’s eight congressional seats in the hands of Democrats.

Supporters of the maps say they’re an improvement over the current districts — which snake across the state in convoluted ways — while keeping “communities of interest” together and ensuring that at least two districts are likely to elect a person of color to Congress. Even with the new lines, most Marylanders would remain in the same district they’re currently in, proponents say.

One of the most notable features of the map is stretching the Eastern Shore-based 1st Congressional District across the Bay Bridge to pick up much of central Anne Arundel County. The district is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican.

But Republicans countered that the map isn’t much of an improvement at all, and that it’s confusing compared to a map promoted by the governor.

“My bowel movements are more compact and contiguous than these districts,” said Del. Robin Grammer, a Baltimore County Republican who voted against the map.

I've covered our gerrymandering problem before, most recently here. No taxation with out representation!