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Baltimore courthouse employee allegedly alerted ICE to detain person, prompting investigation

Person detained by ICE in Baltimore courthouse prompts investigation
Person detained by ICE in Baltimore courthouse prompts investigation 02:39

A Baltimore City courthouse employee could face criminal charges after allegedly alerting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about a possible undocumented immigrant in the building.

The person was detained by two ICE agents on Tuesday, June 24, inside the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse, prompting a criminal investigation, according to Baltimore City Sheriff Sam Cogen.

Sheriff Cogen told WJZ an unidentified employee with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services took it upon themselves to call ICE about someone scheduled to come to their office.

The sheriff believes that it falls out of line with their department duties.

"This was sort of like a shocking incident," Cogen said. "We never thought that we would have an employee of another state agency calling for immigration enforcement."

Cogen says they are investigating whether criminal charges are appropriate.

"They may have possessed confidential information that was shared that may be outside the scope of their duties," Cogen said.

At this point, it's unclear whether the employee who allegedly made the call to ICE is still working in the courthouse, or what happened to the person who was detained.

Baltimore City Sheriff investigating ICE arrest

Sheriff's deputies took the agents to the floor where the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services holds pre-trial hearings, Cogen said. The hearings are held after a person is arrested to prepare a case before trial in court.

The ICE agents then detained a person, the sheriff said. The person's identity has not been confirmed, and the reason for the immigration arrest remains unclear.

"What if they were the victim in a case?" Cogen questioned. "What if they're here trying to establish paternity in a matter, or you've been assaulted and now they're the witness and they're deported and they can't testify. All of it disrupts the administration of justice, and we don't want that kind of action taken in the court facility."

Sheriff's officials later learned the ICE agents were invited to visit the courthouse by a Maryland corrections department worker. The Baltimore City Sheriff's Office then began investigating the worker, Sheriff Cogen said. 

"We're the security of the circuit court, so any enforcement actions we need to know about, people who work in the building should not just be calling ICE to come take enforcement actions," Cogen told WJZ. 

Cogen also said the corrections worker "may have possessed confidential information that was shared that may be outside the scope of their duties."

WJZ has reached out to ICE for comment.

Protecting migrant communities 

Court Clerk Xavier Conaway emphasized his commitment to protecting migrant communities after the ICE arrest at the courthouse. 

"Courthouses must be places where every person—regardless of background or immigration status—feels safe seeking services or justice," Conaway said in a statement. "When immigrant families are made to feel unsafe in a place meant for justice, we all lose. Our courts must be spaces of dignity, not fear. If our courthouses become places people avoid, then we've lost more than public trust—we've weakened the very foundation of equal justice in Baltimore City."

Following the ICE arrest, Conaway said his office is reviewing internal protocols to ensure that all employees understand their responsibility to protect confidential information and remain neutral. 

"Our courthouse leaders need a clear message: Baltimore City will not compromise the right of any resident to access the court system free from intimidation or targeted enforcement," Conaway said. 

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