Our nation is shaped by its people, and Marylanders know that immigrants have always been at the heart of that story. Their contributions strengthen every corner of our state-leading in innovation, sustaining industries, and enriching our communities. 

Today, one in eight Marylanders is an immigrant, and one in seven is a native-born American with at least one immigrant parent. Immigrants make up a fifth of our workforce and are often overrepresented in the most dangerous and physically demanding jobs. Marylanders know this all too well-the memory of the immigrant workers lost in the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse is a solemn reminder of their sacrifices and essential role in keeping our state moving forward.

But as Marylanders, our connection to immigrants goes far beyond their contributions to our economy. They are our neighbors, our family, and our friends. Above all, they are people-deserving of dignity, due process, and fairness under the law. That is the American way.

When he campaigned for office, President Trump promised to welcome legal immigrants. Yet, his overreaching immigration enforcement orders and the fear-driven raids that have followed tell a different story. These actions fail to distinguish between violent criminals and hardworking families who strengthen our communities. Instead, they create fear, tear families apart, and undermine public safety by discouraging cooperation with law enforcement. In fact, Donald Trump is more focused on deportation quotas rather than targeting criminals - which means he will need to target both non criminal and legal immigrants. 

Democrats in our state have been clear that violent offenders will face the law, regardless of where they come from. Democrats also understand a system driven by fear doesn’t make us stronger-it makes us weaker. When trust is broken, when innocent families are shattered, and when communities live in fear, everyone suffers. 

Maryland Democrats know that public safety depends on trust and cooperation. We cannot build safer, stronger communities without the participation of everyone who calls Maryland home. That’s why we are committed to policies that protect families, hold violent offenders accountable, and treat all residents with dignity and respect.

In times like these, it is incumbent on all of Maryland’s leaders to stand together and take meaningful steps to fix our broken immigration system - in contrast to President Trump’s own effort to blow up a bipartisan deal on immigration in order to win an election. We must tailor public safety efforts to target those who threaten it and ensure our policies reflect the values of fairness and justice.

As Democrats, we will always stand with our immigrant communities-defending their rights, honoring their dignity, and protecting their place in our shared future. We remain committed to challenging any actions, including those by President Trump, that undermine the dignity and rights of all Marylanders, including our immigrant communities.