Moore announces funding for immigration legal services on Eastern Shore

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OCEAN CITY — Gov. Wes Moore on Friday said his administration would provide $800,000 for immigration legal services on the Eastern Shore.

Moore made the announcement at the Maryland State Bar Association’s annual conference in Ocean City, where he gave a speech honoring Maryland Public Defender Natasha Dartigue as the MSBA’s next president.

“It will mean that a family on the Eastern Shore, if they need answers, that they will get them from a qualified attorney,” Moore said. “Not someone who’s preying on them, not someone who’s trying to profit off of them, not someone who’s trying to exploit them.”

Moore credited state Sen. Johnny Mautz, a Republican representing four Eastern Shore counties, for making the funding possible.

The funding was included in the state’s fiscal year 2027 budget, according to a spokesperson for Moore. A notice of funding opportunity was published Friday. Nonprofits and law firms that serve immigrants are eligible to apply for funding. The goal is to maximize screenings and consultations in rural areas through in-person legal clinics and virtual meetings with lawyers.

During his speech, Moore misstated that the amount was $800 million, but his office confirmed the correct amount.

The announcement comes amid a deep shortage of immigration attorneys, particularly of those who will represent clients pro bono, as the Trump administration has intensified efforts to deport immigrants and withdraw their legal status.

A week ago, Moore signed an executive order creating a task force of state government officials on the protection of immigrants’ rights. In the news release announcing the executive order, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown noted that many immigrants are “vulnerable to wage theft, housing scams, and workplace abuse in the current political climate.”