immigration

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A sanctuary cities bill was passed even though the governor of Virginia has vowed to veto the bill.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the sanctuary cities bill initially failed Tuesday on a 50-50 deadlock.

However, the vote against the bill by Del. Gordon Helsel was apparently a mistake and, on the second try, the bill was passed 51-49 on party lines.

BEL AIR, Md. (AP) - A sheriff in a central Maryland county says his department's participation in a federal program to identify people in the United States illegally has been "hugely successful."

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said in a statement Monday that in the year since the program began in the county, 44 people who were arrested have been identified as being in this country illegally and a priority for deportation.

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - A Salvadoran woman's lawsuit over being wrongfully arrested for deportation is facing its next legal hurdle.
The Frederick News Post reported Friday that Roxana Orellana Santos and the Frederick County sheriff have filed arguments over whether the case should be dismissed before trial.
Santos claims the county is liable for damages after arresting her without probable cause in 2008. She was eating lunch outside when deputies stopped and questioned her. She was then arrested after they learned of a federal deportation warrant lodged against her.

(AP) - Immigrant rights groups have sued the Trump administration over its termination of a program that protects young people brought to the United States illegally.

BALTIMORE (AP) - Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says Congress needs to act on immigration reform in light of President Donald Trump's plan to phase out a program protecting hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

The Baltimore Sun reports the Republican governor gave his first direct remarks Thursday about Trump's decision. 

The governor adds he "personally" opposes the plan. He says he thinks the focus should be on criminals, not "innocent children that came here through no fault of their own."

As the decision by the Trump administration to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA rallies are planned at the offices of Delaware Governor John Carney and the state’s Democratic senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons.

Organizers notes that both senators have expressed strong support for the program that allows undocumented immigrants brought to this country by their parents as children to stay in the U.S.

It’s is an executive order that was issued by then President Obama as congress failed to provide comprehension immigration reform.

BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore's police commissioner has taken exception to questions from the U.S. Department of Justice that appear to link participation in a crime-fighting program to immigration policies.

In a letter dated Monday, Kevin Davis says he received a letter on Aug. 2 from the Justice Department saying Baltimore meets the requirements for a federal training and technology assistance program to address violent crime.