The threat of losing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding is holding up Maryland legislation that would prevent local jurisdictions from assisting with federal immigration enforcement.

The House of Delegates passed a bill last month prohibiting a local government from entering into an immigration enforcement agreement with the federal government, known as a 287(g) agreement.

But Senate President Bill Ferguson indicated Friday that the full Senate is unlikely to consider the measure. The Trump Administration has threatened to retaliate against states that have “sanctuary” policies. Ferguson said that retaliation could cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

“All of us in Maryland look towards our immigrant communities and understand how much pain and suffering is being felt and fear, and we have to recognize the very true reality that there are consequences that have been issued from the federal government about what happens with states that do not comply with certain immigration orders,” Ferguson said. “So this is the value judgment that we are trying to navigate through.”

Sen. Will Smith, chair of the Judicial Proceedings committee that currently has the bill, said his personal preference would be to pass legislation abolishing all 287(g) agreements in Maryland, including those already in place in seven Maryland counties.

But, he said, “these are not binary choices,” and lawmakers have to weigh the possible consequences from Washington. In addition to losing funds, another possible risk, Smith said, is that the Trump Administration federalizes the Maryland National Guard to help with immigration enforcement.

The state Senate has already passed a different bill related to immigration enforcement, the Maryland Data Privacy Act. The measure aims to prevent residents’ personal data from being used for immigration enforcement. The House has not yet taken action on it.