By Josh Davis

March 14, 2026

U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks addressed ICE facilities in Maryland, artificial intelligence, relief for watermen and the future of the federal Education Department during a call with the Eastern Shore Delegation on Friday.

Speaking with Eastern Shore legislators, Alsobrooks was asked about her tour on Monday of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Baltimore.

“It actually wasn’t just what we found — it was that the judge in Baltimore determined that the conditions were unacceptable and were illegal,” Alsobrooks said, referencing a decision last Friday by U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin. “Where they had set a capacity of 225 people to be detained in that facility, the judge determined that it was not appropriate to house more than 55 people in that facility at any given time.”

Alsobrooks described large areas made of cinderblocks with one shared toilet and “basically no privacy.” She said the facility had poor ventilation and was generally undersized.

“There was no way to have more than maybe five people or so in a space that was designated for 18,” she said.

Del. Tom Hutchinson asked, based on that, “Why then are you opposed to a new modern facility being built in Western Maryland?”

“I can tell you that I have lost trust and confidence in this administration where this issue is concerned,” Alsobrooks said. “I’m a former prosecutor, so I am not opposed to us making sure that we follow the law. I want to ensure that we are removing dangerous and violent people from our communities … and what I have seen instead has been a focus on anything but that.

“What I saw in that room is grandmothers, and people who are not the kind of people that this administration said they would target, and they have instead focused on people who are pastors and law-abiding people,” she added.

Alsobrooks said she would not support additional ICE detention facilities “until we have seen some real reforms happening that I believe are necessary.”

Asked about disaster relief for the Maryland fishing industry, Alsobrooks said her office has requested — and been denied — federal funds several times.

“I’ve been disappointed because the federal disaster relief dollars that we’re talking about are ones that people paid for with their tax dollars,” she said. “And I believe that Marylanders should be granted those federal disaster relief dollars when we qualify — and we were denied.”

She said her office would follow up with the Eastern Shore Delegation on more recent requests for relief for the industry.

Asked about the realignment later this year of the federal Department of Education into other federal agencies, including the Department of Labor, Alsobrooks said she was monitoring the situation.

“We’re losing millions of dollars in our state for education as a result of some of those changes. So, we’re gonna keep an eye on it,” she said.

On the subject of AI, Alsobrooks said new technology could be a game-changer for the state — if used responsibly.

“In a state like Maryland, where we have all of the health institutions and health care, it’s a game-changer to be able to assist with diagnoses,” she said.

She also spoke on protecting existing institutions.

“We’re going to have to have workforce training and development, and just really plan for it. But all in all, it’s coming,” she said.

“I’ve been at these tables because I think that if we’re not there, Maryland is not represented … and I’m gonna continue to use that same approach as we go forward, to make sure our voice is not absent from these very important conversations,” Alsobrooks added.