By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(March 12, 2026) The Town of Berlin intends to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week, seeking details on the operations of federal agents who were in town last Friday.

On Friday, March 6, Town of Berlin residents witnessed United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating on the corner of West and Washington Streets. According to Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall, the sightings occurred in the morning, and the federal officers left around noon.

That situation was acknowledged by Town of Berlin officials earlier this week. At a council meeting on Monday, Tyndall said several town citizens had brought the officers’ presence to his attention.

Tyndall maintained that the Berlin mayor and council were not notified by DHS or any other allied law enforcement team that ICE personnel would be conducting operations in town.

Additionally, the Berlin Police Department told the Bayside Gazette on Friday that they were unaware of the visit.

“We learned ICE agents were in the Town of Berlin after they had already arrived,” Sgt. Jessica Collins said. “We have no further information regarding the details of their visit or what they were working on.”

Tyndall added on Monday that “the current sworn Berlin Police Department officers did not work in conjunction with ICE while they were operating in the Town of Berlin.”

The mayor said that, upon being informed of ICE’s presence, he reached out to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s office to request information on how to proceed.

“We were informed by the governor’s office that ICE agents should be working off of warrants and not patrolling neighborhoods or places of employment,” Tyndall said.

Tyndall asked on Monday if the council would support submitting a FOIA request to solicit details on any available public information, such as who was detained and why. The council agreed to go forward with the request.

“I am always for transparency,” Councilman Steve Green said. “… I do think we should know … we are responsible because it’s happening in our town.”

Tyndall said that the group will proceed with the FOIA submission on behalf of the town sometime this week.

“The request is for any information that can be shared on their operations within the municipal limits of the Town of Berlin on Friday’s date,” he said. “We will see what comes of it.”