On February 5, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Filberto Gonzalez Gutierrez, a Mexican national charged with attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. According to local reports, Gutierrez allegedly attacked his wife with a box cutter. ICE placed a detainer on Gutierrez at the Anne Arundel County Detention Center, which was honored by local authorities and allowed for a secure transfer into federal custody. He remains detained pending removal proceedings.
This arrest took place before new state legislation took effect in Maryland that bans cooperation between state and local law enforcement agencies and ICE. The new law, signed by Governor Wes Moore, prohibits such collaboration moving forward.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin commented on the policy shift: “Maryland is unfortunately following a dangerous path—already started by Governor Hochul in New York and Governor Spanberger in Virginia—of putting criminal illegal aliens over American citizens,” she said. “Filberto Gonzalez Gutierrez, a monster who sliced his wife’s neck open with a box cutter, will never walk American streets again because Anne Arundale County worked with ICE to keep this criminal off our streets. Now, Maryland sanctuary politicians are playing Russian roulette with American lives by outlawing cooperation with ICE and forcing law enforcement to RELEASE criminals from their jails into our communities and perpetrate more crimes and create more victims. Unfortunately, the only consequence will be the continued murder, rape, assault, robbery, and carnage of American lives.”
The Department of Homeland Security highlighted other cases where individuals arrested or convicted of serious crimes—including homicide, sexual offenses against minors, rape involving weapons, and gang-related weapon possession—were taken into custody by ICE after being released from detention centers in Maryland.
Supporters of cooperation between local jurisdictions and federal immigration authorities argue that such collaboration contributes to public safety outcomes. They note that several of the safest cities in the United States maintain working relationships with ICE.
