Four Democratic candidates for Prince George’s County Executive debated the county’s budget deficit, juvenile crime and immigration in a televised debate hosted by ABC7 on Wednesday.

Prince George’s County state’s attorney Aisha Braveboy, state Sen. Alonzo Washington (D-Prince George’s), Prince George’s County at-large council member Calvin Hawkins and former county executive Rushern Baker participated in the debate. Wednesday’s debate comes a week after the race’s first virtual debate and less than a month before the March 4 special primary election.

Prince George’s County Council chair Jolene Ivey was also set to appear in the debate, according to ABC7. But she withdrew from the race hours before the debate on Wednesday due to personal reasons, The Diamondback previously reported.

Eleven candidates — eight Democrats and three Republicans — are seeking to fill the county executive seat after Angela Alsobrooks won Maryland’s U.S. Senate election in November. Tara Jackson, who was previously the county’s chief administrative officer, now serves as the acting county executive.

At Wednesday’s debate, the four candidates discussed how they would balance the county’s $170 million budget deficit, which could worsen due to state and federal spending cuts.

Baker, who was the county executive from 2010-18, cited his experience in navigating the county’s budget deficit in 2010. He touted a $50 million economic development center fund that drove economic development to the county to aid the deficit.

Braveboy called on the county to conduct a “full audit” to understand spending habits. Braveboy said she would invest in businesses to increase the county’s commercial tax base, rather than raising property taxes.

[Jolene Ivey withdraws from Prince George’s County Executive race]

Public safety was also a key theme in Wednesday’s debate.

Hawkins criticized “arrest and release” programs for minors and emphasized the importance of investing in support services.

“We can’t keep releasing [minors] and not giving them the services they need,” Hawkins said. “When we let them continue to roam our streets without the services they require, they will become predators.”

Washington said he plans to combat crime by moving 150 police officers who work in civilian roles to community policing efforts. Late-night community activities, some of which would provide 24-hour services for students and families, would also help reduce crime, Washington added.

Braveboy alluded to a decrease in overall crime across the county and emphasized her commitment to ensuring that residents feel safe in their communities.

In 2024, total crime in Prince George’s County decreased by 9 percent and homicides were down 5 percent compared to 2023, Prince George’s County Police chief Malik Aziz said in a January press conference. Carjackings also decreased by 33 percent, he said in the press conference.

Baker highlighted his 2012 Transforming Neighbors Initiative. The program allocated government resources to six areas in the county facing high violent crime rates.

Baker added that he plans to address the staffing shortages in the fire and emergency services department to help mediate crime.

“When I took over in 2010 … we funded our priorities. Our priorities are public safety because if people don’t feel safe, they won’t come into the county,” Baker said.

[Here’s how PGCPS officials are preparing for ICE officers in schools]

All four candidates pledged to protect the county’s immigrants from President Donald Trump’s executive orders to carry out mass deportation and increase border security. Trump’s orders have also targeted birthright citizenship, a Constitutional right that grants citizenship to people born or naturalized in the United States.

But each candidate had different plans for cooperation between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local law enforcement.

Washington said Prince George’s County law enforcement officers don’t enforce immigration laws and that he will ensure officers “uphold the current law.”

“Our police officers deserve to be on the street enforcing those [crime] laws, not immigration laws,” Washington said. “We’re going to build a better relationship with our immigrant community so we know exactly who they are and we can protect them.”

Hawkins said he previously advocated for policies that would limit collaboration between ICE and law enforcement agencies. People are often held until ICE can come to detain them despite having release orders locally, he explained.

Braveboy affirmed her commitment to holding undocumented people who committed violent crimes accountable by prosecuting them in the United States and then deporting them. But she noted that the majority of people who immigrated are law-abiding citizens and residents and should remain in Prince George’s County.

Like Braveboy, Baker said law enforcement can cooperate with ICE for people who commit violent crimes.

Baker added that undocumented people should not be detained for non-violent offenses to prevent situations where residents are afraid to report crimes for fear of being detained by ICE.

“If you report a crime, if you have a car accident, if you’re late bringing your child to school, we’re not going to call ICE and have you deported,” Baker said.

The special general election for the seat will be on June 3.