He says a lot of the opposition is based on ‘politics.’
Frederick, Md (KM). Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins continues to strongly support his agency’s affiliation with the 287g program. That’s where the staff at the County Detention Center determine the immigration status of individuals brought into the jail facing charges.
During a recent appearance on WFMD’s “Morning News Express,” Jenkins said he will fight efforts by some elected officials in the General Assembly to end the programs. “And I will do everything I can at the state level to fight that legislation. I will mobilize sheriffs, police chiefs, every resource I can,” he says.
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater has put a position statement in her 2026 Legislative Package calling for banning local police cooperation with federal immigration efforts. In a recent appearance on the “Morning News Express,.” she said many residents feel less safe with 287g. But Jenkins says the program has made the county more safe. “Listen, I don’t how many people come to her and say ‘I don’t feel safe.’ I can tell you how many people come to me and say, ‘Sheriff, keep doing what you’re doing because we do feel safe,'” he said. “As a matter of fact, I’ve had people to come to me and say ‘listen, I moved into Frederick County because it’s a safe place because of this program.'”
He also says there’s another benefit. “The reason we’re not seeing ICE raids in Frederick County like you do in Chicago, Baltimore it’s because what we’ve been doing here for 17 and 18 years is so effective is we don’t have the priority criminal targets. That’s why you’re not seeing the ICE raids,” Jenkins says.
He also takes issue with critics who say deputies pull over divers because of their race. “You know what. I’ve been policing in the county 36 years, and I’ve never witnessed or never experienced in our agency, or any agency, any officers taking any action based on race. I’ve just never seen it,” he says. “Does it happen occasionally? Maybe it does in other jurisdictions. I just do not believe right here it does. I really don’t.”
He says a lot of the debate over 287g and other federals immigration enforcement programs is based on politics, not public safety. “Personally, I think anybody who doesn’t view this program as beneficial it’s political. The Democrats don’t like it; the Republicans do,” he says.
Senator Karen Lewis Young says she plans to introduce a bill to limit how law enforcement can participate in immigration enforcement. “They’ll go down there this year. again, and they’ll force legislation to try to end this program. again led by Karen Lewis Young,” he says. “I don’t think she cares about public safety. It’s all about politics.”
By Kevin McManus