ANNAPOLIS, Md. (January 23, 2026) — Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman testified Thursday in favor of Senate Bill 245, which would prohibit state, local government, or county agencies from entering into an immigration enforcement agreement, and require the termination of existing immigration enforcement agreements before July 1, 2026. Comptroller Lierman testified before the Senate Judiciary Proceedings Committee, urging the committee to issue a favorable report on the measure and stressing the importance of immigrants to Maryland’s economy.
The following are Comptroller Lierman’s remarks as prepared:
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, Mr. Vice Chair, and members of the Committee. My name is Brooke Lierman, Comptroller of Maryland. I am here today in support of Senate Bill 245.
Maryland is home to a large and diverse immigrant population that plays an essential role in the social and economic life of our state. Immigrants represent nearly 17 percent of Maryland’s population and more than 21 percent of our labor force. These residents are deeply integrated into our communities, workplaces, and local economies.
Policies and enforcement practices that create fear and uncertainty among immigrant communities can have consequences that extend beyond the individuals directly affected. When families are reluctant to go to work, attend school, or engage in daily economic activity due to fear of immigration enforcement, those impacts are felt across our state, including by employers, local governments, and essential service providers.
As Maryland’s “elected CFO,” I want to highlight the economic implications of these dynamics. In April 2024, the Comptroller’s Office released a report examining the role of international immigration in Maryland’s economy. That analysis found that immigrants make substantial contributions to the state’s workforce, tax base, and overall economic growth.
Immigrants account for more than one-fifth of Maryland’s civilian labor force and are employed across a wide range of industries that are critical to our economy, including agriculture and food processing, healthcare, science and technology, and education. In some sectors, such as seafood processing and healthcare, immigrant workers are indispensable to maintaining continuity of services and meeting workforce demand. For example, immigrants make up approximately 23 percent of Maryland’s STEM workforce and 23 percent of registered nurses statewide. In fact, the Maryland Hospital Association produced a study that shows a projected 20% shortfall versus the demand for nurses by 2035.
Immigrant communities also greatly contribute to our state’s revenue through taxes and spending. American Immigration Council data show that, in Maryland in 2023, immigrants paid $15.80 billion in federal, state, and local taxes and had a total spending power of $39.5 billion.
As the General Assembly considers difficult budget decisions this session, it is important to recognize that policies that promote stability and trust within immigrant communities also help protect and buoy Maryland’s economy and increase our economic resilience. Ensuring that state and local law enforcement agencies are not placed in roles that undermine public trust supports community safety, workforce participation, and economic continuity.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Committee to issue a favorable report on Senate Bill 245. Thank you.
