Horowitz: In Maryland, you can release MS-13 murderers, but you can’t release … balloons?

Balloons? Bad! Illegal alien MS-13 murderers? Good!

Is that the message Maryland’s politicians are sending to its taxpayers?

Maryland’s urban areas are in the midst of the worst crime crisis ever, even rivaling the crime waves of the 1970s and 1980s. But fear not, they are getting tough – really tough – on those soft round things that bring joy to the eyes of any toddler.

On Monday, the Maryland Senate passed a bill 38-3 (SB28) that would prohibit balloon “releases” in the state unless they’re for scientific research. Violators above the age of 13 will face a penalty of up to $250. That’s certainly a lot more than the teen carjackers terrorizing my suburban Baltimore neighborhood pay when they get released with no prison time. The bill now heads to the House, where Democrats have an insurmountable super-majority.

With record homicides both in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, there has not been a single piece of legislation passed this session dealing with tougher sentencing and closing the criminal loopholes that allow the release of so many violent criminals into the human ecosystem. But it’s worse than that.

The same Maryland Democrats who have a sense of urgency to act out against what they see as harmful balloon releases are also championing the release of even the worst criminal alien gang members.

Maryland has a Salvadoran illegal alien gang problem of epic proportions, perhaps the worst in the country, especially in sanctuary jurisdictions like Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. The Washington Post observed the MS-13 problem there was “fueled by fresh recruits from an unprecedented wave of almost 200,000 unaccompanied minors from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.” Baltimore City is also a notorious sanctuary for criminal aliens.

Last year, Prince George’s County passed a bill, in contravention to federal law and against the warnings of its own police department, to prohibit county officials from working with ICE in any capacity, even for the detention and removal of the worst criminal aliens.

In May 2018, two MS-13 members were arrested on murder charges but were released despite an ICE detainer and barely served time in prison. Almost exactly a year later, they were arrested again for first-degree murder of a 14-year-old, and authorities still wouldn’t honor an ICE detainer!

Last year, Montgomery County became a national laughingstock when a local reporter revealed that it had released numerous illegal alien rapists, including child rapists, back into the communities in defiance of ICE detainers.

Yet there is no sense of urgency in Maryland’s legislature to deal with the ultimate pollution of our streets – the release of other countries’ dangerous gang members who prey on children. Where do we see their passion? Fining kids who release balloons.

We already knew that liberals have no regard for the safety of our communities and children. Now we know they also want to take the fun out of their lives.