Maryland Green Party Candidate Calls for Abolishing ICE, Pressures State Officials to Confront Federal Enforcement

By MDBayNews staff

A Maryland gubernatorial candidate with the Green Party is drawing renewed attention after publicly endorsing the complete abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and urging aggressive state-level resistance to federal immigration enforcement.

In a series of posts on X this weekend, Andy Ellis, who is running for governor under the Green Party banner, aligned his campaign with national ecosocialist groups calling for the dismantling of ICE. Ellis framed the issue as a moral and political turning point, claiming public opinion has shifted decisively against the federal agency.

“For the first time, more Americans support abolishing ICE (46%) than keeping it (43%),” Ellis wrote, citing an unspecified poll. “The country is catching up. Now is the time to act.”

A Call for State-Level Resistance

Beyond rhetoric, Ellis outlined a specific agenda aimed at positioning Maryland in direct opposition to federal immigration enforcement. His proposals include:

1. New state laws to hold ICE agents legally accountable when they are alleged to violate individual rights.
2. State legislation to shield communities from ICE operations, potentially limiting cooperation by local and state authorities.
3. Direct legal challenges by Maryland’s Attorney General, urging the state to contest ICE actions “at every possibility” in court.

Ellis also called on Maryland’s Democratic leadership—including the governor, comptroller, attorney general, congressional delegation, and local governments—to formally join these efforts.

What Abolishing ICE Would Mean

ICE is a federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for immigration enforcement, deportations, and investigations involving transnational crime, human trafficking, and immigration fraud. Abolishing the agency would require congressional action and a restructuring of federal immigration enforcement responsibilities—something far beyond the authority of any single state.

Critics argue that calls to abolish ICE ignore public safety concerns and blur the line between lawful immigration policy debates and outright resistance to federal law. Supporters, meanwhile, claim ICE’s enforcement practices undermine civil liberties and disproportionately impact immigrant communities.

Limited Electoral Reach, Broader Political Signal

The Green Party has historically struggled to gain traction in statewide Maryland elections, where Democrats dominate and Republicans remain the primary opposition. However, Ellis’s statements reflect a broader push within progressive and activist circles to pressure Democratic officials into adopting more confrontational stances toward federal immigration enforcement—particularly if control of Washington shifts between parties.

For center-right observers, the episode underscores a growing ideological divide within Maryland politics: while most state leaders publicly support immigration reform within federal frameworks, more activist factions are openly advocating resistance strategies that could invite legal and constitutional conflicts.

As the 2026 gubernatorial race takes shape, Ellis’s comments are unlikely to reshape the field—but they do highlight how immigration enforcement remains one of the most polarizing issues in Maryland and nationwide.

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