ACLU QUESTIONS IMMIGRANT DETENTION: Ovetta Wiggins of the Post reports on a new report from the Maryland chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union that says that a federal policy that requires immigrants with certain criminal convictions to be detained without bond while they wait for their cases to be heard is excessive, costly and has resulted in lengthy and unnecessary detentions of immigrants in Maryland.

• The report says that immigrants in Maryland convicted of crimes are being unfairly imprisoned during removal proceedings and that many of those detained have green cards, families and jobs in the United States, the report said, and were convicted of minor crimes, Jesse Coburn of the Sun reports.

PORTS ROLLS BACK ON TRANSIT LETTER: Local transportation priorities for Maryland’s 23 counties may not be in immediate jeopardy despite a letter sent in the last week from state officials suggesting some would not be considered for funding, reports Bryan Sears for the Daily Record. In an interview Thursday, Transportation Department Deputy Secretary Jim Ports contradicted the letter sent to leaders of Maryland’s counties and said information sought as the result of a contentious bill passed this year would not be required and would not be used to penalize local governments.

READ MORE HERE:

State Roundup, August 5, 2016