Baltimore City Council considers bill banning private detention centers as wider limits on immigration enforcement advance

Legislation introduced as Maryland jurisdictions move to restrict privately run detention facilities

Baltimore City Council leaders introduced legislation on March 9, 2026, to prohibit private detention centers from operating within city limits, adding Baltimore to a growing list of local governments in Maryland weighing land-use and contracting restrictions tied to immigration enforcement.

The proposal was announced ahead of a City Council discussion the same evening. Council President Zeke Cohen said the bill is part of a broader package of measures aimed at protecting civil rights in Baltimore and preventing private detention facilities from being built in the city.

Safe Spaces and Communities bill sets agency requirements for city-controlled sites

Alongside the detention-center proposal, council members are advancing a separate bill titled “Baltimore City Policies and Procedures – Safe Spaces and Communities.” If enacted, it would require city agencies to develop and implement plans intended to limit immigration enforcement activity in spaces the city owns or operates.

The bill identifies a range of public settings that could be covered, including city offices and buildings as well as schools, libraries, and parks. Sponsors have also described the measure as restricting the use of city personnel, resources, and funds in ways that coordinate with federal immigration enforcement actions.

• Primary mechanism: agency planning requirements and procedures for city-controlled locations
• Covered settings described by sponsors: offices, buildings, schools, libraries, and parks
• Fiscal/operational element: limits on using city resources to coordinate enforcement actions

Committee timeline and sponsorship

The “Safe Spaces and Communities” legislation was introduced by Councilmembers Odette Ramos, Paris Gray, and Mark Parker, with Cohen listed as a co-sponsor. A public hearing in the Public Safety Committee was scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 1 p.m.

“Baltimore cannot control what Washington does, but we can control what happens within our own city,” Cohen said in a public statement announcing the detention-center proposal.

Regional context: emergency measures in neighboring counties

Baltimore’s proposal comes after Howard County enacted an emergency law in early February 2026 barring private detention centers, following concerns about a private building being converted for detention use. Baltimore County also adopted an emergency bill in February 2026 that prohibits private detention facilities, after federal leasing activity brought attention to office space in Cockeysville.

At the state level, lawmakers have been debating bills that would affect approvals and standards associated with detention facilities, reflecting a broader policy push that spans city councils, county councils, and the General Assembly.

What happens next

The private detention center ban introduced in the Baltimore City Council would still require committee review and subsequent council action before it could take effect. The companion “Safe Spaces and Communities” bill is also set to move through the committee process, where amendments and implementation details—such as how agencies would structure response plans for city properties—are expected to be debated in public session.