Maryland Executive Order 01.01.2026.11: Immigrant Rights Protection Task Force

EXECUTIVE ORDER 01.01.2026.11 Creation of the Maryland Immigrant Rights Protection Task Force

WHEREAS, The Maryland immigrant community is a vital part of the State's cultural and economic fabric, with 17% of Maryland's population being foreign born, 9.5% of U.S.-born residents having at least one immigrant parent, and 21.7% of the State's labor workforce being composed of immigrants;

WHEREAS, Many immigrant Marylanders have long faced discrimination and substandard services in areas such as consumer and legal services, employment, and housing, due to factors such as language barriers and unfamiliarity with their rights;

WHEREAS, The State is committed to protecting all residents from becoming victims of crime, to holding all those who prey on the vulnerable accountable, and to building a safer and more equitable Maryland that leaves no one behind;

WHEREAS, The federal government's heightened immigration enforcement actions have further emboldened unscrupulous actors to take advantage of or discriminate against immigrant Marylanders, using new schemes to target immigrants for exploitation;

WHEREAS, These rights violations not only harm immigrant individuals and families, they also distort markets, impede fair competition, diminish the safety and security of all Marylanders; and

WHEREAS, Addressing fraud and exploitation among immigrant Marylanders requires a whole-of-government approach, with collaboration among State agencies and partnership with the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Comptroller, other State leaders, as well as local governments, community organizations, and the private sector.

NOW THEREFORE, I, WES MOORE, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF MARYLAND, HEREBY PROCLAIM THE FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE ORDER EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:

A. Establishment.

1. There is a Maryland Immigrant Rights Protection Task Force ("Task Force") to address fraud and exploitation of immigrant Marylanders.

2. The Task Force shall be administered by the Maryland Governor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (the "Office"), in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Comptroller.

B. Membership.

1. The task force shall consist of:

i. The Secretary of Labor or the Secretary's designee;

ii. The Executive Director of the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, or the Executive Director's designee;

iii. The Secretary of Housing and Community Development or the Secretary's designee;

iv. The Secretary of Budget and Management or the Secretary's designee;

v. The Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy or the Executive Director's designee;

vi. The Special Secretary of the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives, or the Special Secretary's designee; and

vii. The Secretary of Social and Economic Mobility or the Secretary's designee.

2. The Office shall also coordinate with designees identified by the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Comptroller to serve as Task Force members.

3. At its discretion, the Office may invite to participate in the Task Force representatives from:

i. The Maryland Judiciary;

ii. Office of the State Prosecutor;

iii. Local government entities; and

iv. Community stakeholder organizations.

4. The Director of the Office or the Director's designee shall serve as the Chair of the Task Force.

C. Administration.

1. The Task Force shall meet at times and places to be determined by the Chair but no less than quarterly.

2. The Task Force may form subcommittees at the discretion of the Chair to carry out the duties set forth in this Order.

3. The Office shall staff the Task Force.

4. If requested, all Executive Department agencies shall cooperate with and assist the Office in carrying out its responsibilities under this Order.

D. Duties.

1. Under the Office's leadership, the Task force shall engage stakeholders to assess common barriers and challenges that immigrant Marylanders face in enforcing their rights under State and local law in the workplace, as consumers, ·as tenants, and as taxpayers, as well as rights as victims and witnesses of crime.

2. The Task Force shall identify and recommend strategies to strengthen:

i. Multilingual outreach and rights education for immigrant communities;

ii. Investigations and enforcement under State and local anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation laws involving non-citizen victims and witnesses, such as the ability to conduct multilingual investigations;

iii. Coordination among state and local agencies, including criminal law enforcement when appropriate;

iv. Referrals to legal services, mediation, and other strategies to expand access to justice.

E. Reporting.

1. Interim Report. The Task Force shall submit an initial report by July 15, 2026, describing its findings based on testimony from immigrants and advocates, research, and additional input from governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. The initial report shall provide a record of the fraud and exploitation crisis currently facing Maryland's immigrant communities, identify gaps in legal authorities, and inform the Task Force's strategies to identify solutions to these and other issues.

2. Final Report. By May 31, 2027, the Task Force shall submit a final report on strategies that State agencies and other Task Force members are taking, and can take, to protect immigrant Marylanders, including outreach and education, investigations and enforcement, and internal / external referrals. The Task Force's final report shall also assess the impact of collective efforts to strengthen strategies for recourse available to immigrant Marylanders, with the goal of a more secure and prosperous future for immigrants across the State.

F. General Provisions.

1. This Executive Order shall be implemented in a manner that is consistent with all applicable statutes and regulations. Nothing in this Executive Order shall operate to contravene any State or federal law or to affect the State's receipt of federal funding.

2. If any provision of this Executive Order or its application to any person, entity, or circumstance is held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, all other provisions or applications of the Executive Order shall remain in effect to the extent possible without the invalid provision or application. To achieve this purpose, the provisions of this Executive Order are severable.

GIVEN Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the State of Maryland, in the City of Annapolis, this 5th day of June 2026.

Wes Moore Governor

ATTEST:

Susan C. Lee Secretary of State