Maryland HB 1222 (2025) stipulates that all Maryland residents must feel safe and secure when using public libraries and mandates that its public libraries have policies in place guiding interactions with immigration enforcement agents. The Library adopts this policy in accordance with guidelines issued by the Maryland Attorney General’s office.

A. Nondiscriminatory Service & Protected Spaces

1. St. Mary’s County Library strives to provide essential services to members of the public, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status.
2. All areas in St. Mary’s County Library are private spaces, except the following:
   • Lobbies, meeting rooms, study rooms, Makerspaces, collection stacks, computer spaces, teen and children’s rooms, customer service areas.
   • All staff work spaces are private and closed to the general public.
3. Private spaces are marked with clear signage.
4. Access to private spaces is limited to staff, county maintenance workers, and others granted approval. Staff must accompany any others who are granted approval to enter the space.

B. Immigration Enforcement at St. Mary’s County Library

St. Mary’s County Library does not consent to the conduct of civil immigration operations on its premises, unless exigent circumstances require such access.
Exigent circumstances are defined as follows:

• Imminent risk of death, violence, or harm to a person or property
• Imminent risk of the destruction of evidence of a crime
• In hot pursuit of a dangerous suspect

1. The Library Director is the primary point of contact for issues related to immigration enforcement.
   • If the Library Director is for some reason unavailable, the Deputy Director will serve as point of contact.
   • If neither Library Director or Deputy Director is available, the Branch Manager of the facility being visited will serve.
2. If ICE agents or other federal immigration authorities appear at St. Mary’s County Library, staff shall presume that they are engaged in immigration enforcement. Staff shall proceed as follows:
   • Contact the Library Director immediately. Ask the ICE agents to wait in a lobby or other public space.
   • If the ICE agents demand immediate access to private spaces without waiting for the Library Director, staff shall state they do not consent to such access but should not attempt to stop or impede the officer. As promptly as possible, staff shall contact the Library Director, and make a record of the incident for the Library Director, including notes about the verbal exchange with the ICE agents, identifying details about the ICE agents, the ICE agents’ actions, any arrests or other results of those actions, and the identity of other staff witnesses.
3. In no circumstances should staff interfere with the ICE agents, attempt to make them leave a public space, attempt to conceal any person from ICE, or attempt to assist any person in evading ICE. The Library Director shall make and maintain records of all immigration enforcement activity at St. Mary’s County Library.
4. The Library Director shall request and record the following information from any ICE agent or other federal official who appears at St. Mary’s County Library on immigration business:
   • Name
   • Badge number or other official identifying information
   • Agency
   • Purpose of visit
   • Proposed action to be taken at St. Mary’s County Library
5. If an immigration officer requests access to private spaces within St. Mary’s County Library in order to conduct enforcement action, the Library Director may authorize such access only if the officer (1) asserts that exigent circumstances exist; or (2) possesses a valid judicial warrant. To confirm the existence of a valid judicial warrant, the Library Director shall:
   • Obtain a copy of the document;
   • Confirm that the heading shows the document was issued by a court;
   • Confirm that a U.S. District Court Judge or Magistrate signed it;
   • Confirm that it lists the St. Mary’s County Library branch among the places to be searched for a wanted person or evidence; and
   • Verify that the document is not expired.
6. The Library Director should ask to consult with St. Mary’s County Library’s legal counsel about any questions concerning a judicial warrant or the existence of exigent circumstances. If immigration officers deny the Library Director the opportunity to consult counsel about such questions, the Library Director shall state that the library does not consent to the agents’ entry but should not block or impede their access.
7. If immigration officers proceed into a private space without exigent circumstances or a judicial warrant, then Library Director shall notify counsel, state that the officers lack permission, but make no efforts to resist or block the officers.

C. Requests by Immigration Officers for Records or Information

1. The confidentiality of information about members of the public served by this facility is generally protected by State laws, including Maryland Code, General Provisions § 4-308, Maryland Code, Education § 23-108, and Maryland Code, General Provisions § 4-320. The “personal information” protected by these codes does not include information regarding citizenship or immigration status.
2. It is the policy of this facility to refer requests made by immigration officers for records or information about members of the public to counsel, unless State or federal law otherwise requires an immediate response.
3. If ICE agents or other immigration officers request records or information about individuals served by St. Mary’s County Library, staff shall contact the Library Director.
4. The Library Director shall request and record the immigration officer’s identifying information as listed in Section B.4 of this Policy. The Library Director shall also obtain a copy of any documentation supporting the officer’s request, such as an administrative subpoena, judicial subpoena, or court order.
5. If immigration officers present a judicial search warrant or asserts exigent circumstances exist to search a private space, the Library Director and staff shall follow Section B.5 and B.6 of this Policy.
6. If immigration officers proceed to search a private space without exigent circumstances or a judicial warrant, the Library Director and staff shall notify counsel, state that the officers lack permission, but make no effort to resist or block the officers.

D. Guidelines

Some General Guidelines for staff from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office

The Maryland Attorney General has advised that library staff “have the right to object passively where they believe ICE is acting without authority. This means that, unless ICE agents present a valid judicial warrant, the agents cannot require facility staff to open locked doors or to otherwise affirmatively assist them in obtaining entry to private spaces. Of course, however, facility staff should not affirmatively impede ICE, either, and should seek to de­escalate conflicts. Officials should consult with counsel before disclosing personal information or sensitive records to immigration enforcement officials. The only exception is where an ICE agent presents a judicial search warrant. Such warrants typically require immediate compliance. If a federal agent presents such a warrant, facility staff should still request to consult with counsel. If the federal agent denies this request, facility staff should provide the agent with immediate access to the spaces, records, or other materials specified in the warrant, and continue to contact their designated supervisor or counsel. If ICE agents state that exigent circumstances exist and that they require immediate entry to private spaces, our recommendation is that staff should first request the opportunity to speak with counsel. If this request is denied, staff should generally comply with the agents’ orders. If staff doubts that emergency circumstances require immediate ICE access, they should state that they do not consent to the agents’ entry and should seek to speak with counsel, if feasible, but they should not impede the agents’ progress. Facilities staff and members of the public do not have a legal obligation to assist ICE or to answer questions from ICE. But active interference with ICE and active efforts to help people evade ICE are prohibited.”