The Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office confirmed that it is investigating a Maryland corrections department employee after ICE agents made a rare and apparently invited visit to the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse last week and detained someone.

On June 24, ICE agents appeared at the courthouse indicating that they had an appointment with the employee, causing sheriff’s deputies to escort the agents to the fourth floor, where the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services runs pretrial services, the sheriff’s office said.

The deputies then watched the agents detain an individual in what they later confirmed was a federal immigration action taken by ICE officers, the first of its kind to take place in the courthouse since President Donald Trump took over the federal government, according to Nicholas Blendy, assistant sheriff and spokesperson for the department.

Blendy said that “it appears that a single pretrial employee contacted ICE to cause a federal immigration enforcement action to occur on Monday outside the scope of their standard duties.” He said the investigation started as an inquiry into a breach of protocols by the corrections department employee. But, he said, it has become a criminal probe into the apparent misuse of information for actions outside official duties.

The sheriff’s office is not naming the employee, saying it does not want to jeopardize any potential criminal or administrative investigations.

The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services said in a statement that it was conducting an internal investigation on the employee, saying that the individual notified ICE of a “scheduled pretrial intake appointment,” prompting the agency to respond and take someone into custody.

The corrections department added that it “did not authorize or coordinate this action” and that the employee involved has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.

“DPSCS remains committed to transparency, interagency cooperation, and maintaining the integrity of our operational protocols that keep Marylanders safe while holding offenders accountable,” spokesperson Keith Martucci said in a statement.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement, Sheriff Sam Cogen said: “When immigrant communities fear ICE will take them away at the courthouse, it degrades my mission as sheriff to protect the right to access justice.”

He added, “Depriving any person of the opportunity to sue someone, testify in a matter, or respond to allegations erodes the rule of law and harms all residents.”

Blendy said the presence of federal immigration officers in the courthouse could make it more difficult for prosecutors to present witnesses, among other challenges. He added that when people receive failure-to-appear notices, it is up to the sheriff’s office to serve them.

“It disrupts and increases our already-underfunded workload with more to do,” he said.

Reactions to the sheriff’s decision

Hours after The Baltimore Banner broke the news on the sheriff’s investigation, the clerk of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City issued a statement in support and thanking Cogen for opening a criminal investigation.

The clerk, who is responsible for managing legal filings, records and other services, “emphasized his office’s commitment to protecting personal information, maintaining public trust and upholding justice in all interactions.”

“We are reviewing internal protocols to ensure that staff understand their responsibility to treat every resident with dignity, to protect confidential information, and to uphold the neutrality and safety of this institution,” Xavier A. Conaway, the court clerk, said in a statement. “Everyone who comes through our doors deserves to be treated with fairness, professionalism, and respect.”

Local elected officials also weighed in, with Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter describing the incident it as “deeply troubling,” adding that it “raises serious concerns about the consistent misuse of government authority and the violation of trust within our justice system.”

“Our courthouses must remain spaces where all residents — regardless of immigration status — can safely seek justice without fear of targeted enforcement,” she added.

Council Member Odette Ramos said the courthouse employee was “acting on their own prejudices instead of following protocols.”

“Shame on anyone who calls ICE on our neighbors,” she said.

Ramos thanked the sheriff and also demanded that the person or people detained because of the employee’s actions be released.

Crisaly de los Santos, CASA Baltimore and Central Maryland director, said she was “deeply concerned that local law enforcement could be collaborating with ICE to target immigrant community members at courthouses.”

“Courthouses must be treated as sensitive locations where people can go without worrying that ICE will be waiting to target them,” she said. “Baltimore has declared itself a welcoming city, and that commitment must extend to every institution including our courts and police departments.”

Dylan Segelbaum contributed to this report.