Tea at Trianon: How Dumb Are Sanctuary Policies? Ask Baltimore County

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Friday, August 8, 2025

How Dumb Are Sanctuary Policies? Ask Baltimore County

From Direct Line:

So apparently, Baltimore County woke up one morning to find itself crowned Maryland’s one and only “sanctuary jurisdiction.” The Trump Administration slapped the title on them like a “Kick Me” sign on the back of an unsuspecting freshman. And instead of proudly owning their new woke trophy, the county is now sprinting to the nearest microphone yelling, “Wait, wait, it’s a mistake! We’re not that dumb!”
Honestly, you can’t write comedy this good.
Here’s the thing about sanctuary policies: they’re like buying a home security system but leaving your front door open because you want to “foster trust” with the burglars. Sanctuary city cheerleaders will tell you these policies “build community trust” and “make everyone safer.” Translation: “We’d like to let people break federal law, but politely, with jazz hands.”
Baltimore County’s County Executive Kathy Klausmeier must have had a rough Tuesday. One minute, she’s probably sipping coffee, the next she’s reading a DOJ list that screams: “Congratulations, you’re the only sanctuary jurisdiction in Maryland!” Her response? A statement basically saying, “Us? No, no, you’ve got the wrong county. We love following federal law. Ask anyone! Our Office of Law is on the phone right now begging to get us off this list!”
Imagine the scene at DOJ. “Hey guys, you know that list of 500 sanctuary cities we sent out last time that turned out to be more fake than an Elizabeth Warren ancestry claim? Yeah, let’s cut it to 18 cities and four counties. And, oh, let’s keep Baltimore County. Why? I dunno, just a vibe.”
The first list they released back in May was legendary. They named 500 states, counties, and cities—yes, states—because nothing says “we’re on top of this” like calling an entire state a sanctuary jurisdiction. Maryland was on that list with 10 municipalities and eight counties. Baltimore City, Montgomery, Prince George’s—they all got the participation trophy. Even Cheverly made the cut. Cheverly! If you can’t find it on a map, don’t worry, neither can ICE.
Then came the backpedal. Local officials were like, “Um, hi. Yeah, so about that sanctuary thing… we actually cooperate with federal law enforcement, thanks.” DHS yanked the list faster than Joe Biden forgetting a sentence mid-speech.
Fast forward to today’s “corrected” list: 12 states, D.C., 18 cities, four counties—and somehow Baltimore County is the only Maryland name still dangling like the lone survivor on Survivor: Bad Policy Island.
Now, the comedy writes itself. Klausmeier claims Baltimore County practices “community policing,” which apparently means you wave hello to everyone, including the guy ICE is trying to deport. “Public safety remains a top priority,” she said. Sure, right behind “making sure we’re not called a sanctuary jurisdiction again.” (Read more.)