DOJ files lawsuit against Maryland’s ‘immigration sanctuary policies’

WASHINGTON:- The federal government has filed a lawsuit against the state government of Maryland over “sanctuary” policies alleged to hinder the enforcement of immigration laws.

In a statement issued on Thursday evening, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it had filed the lawsuit against the state and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown.

The Department of Justice has stated that Maryland’s policies violate federal law. The lawsuit specifically cites the recently passed Community Trust Act, which Governor Wes Moore allowed to become law without his signature. This Act prohibits state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.

The lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice states, in part, that such blatant disregard for federal laws—laws that have been on the books for decades—is not merely a matter of political disagreement or passive non-compliance; it is a deliberate, disruptive act that jeopardizes the public safety of all Americans. The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution prohibits states from obstructing Congress and the Executive Branch in this manner.

The challenged provisions of Maryland law reflect an effort to impede the operation of federal immigration law and to obstruct the consultation and communication between federal, state, and local law enforcement officials that federal authorities require to enforce federal immigration law and keep Americans safe.

The Community Trust Act hinders the federal government’s ability to regulate immigration and take enforcement action against illegal immigrants by preventing state and local law enforcement officials from assisting in federal civil immigration enforcement.

Maryland facilities have been accused of refusing to hand over undocumented immigrants to federal authorities, despite the issuance of a detainer. This has prompted a legal challenge seeking to prevent the state from implementing the Community Trust Act and to have the act declared invalid.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward stated, “Federal immigration officials enforce only the laws passed by our nation’s elected representatives in Congress, which reflect the will of the people. When sanctuary jurisdictions implement laws to shield illegal immigrants from federal law enforcement, it is not only a violation of federal law but also silences the voices of everyday American voters. Today’s case demonstrates that this department will never stand with ‘blue state’ leaders in support of such unlawful actions.”

“In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Department of Justice said, ‘Ultimately, it is the American people who suffer when states adopt these irresponsible sanctuary policies. The Department of Justice will always defend the Constitution and the rule of law, and today it does so by challenging Maryland’s efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement.'”

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche directed the Civil Division of the Department of Justice to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that violate federal law or obstruct lawful federal operations.

The Department of Justice stated that this is the latest in a series of 20 cases brought by the Civil Division targeting unlawful policies—in states including Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York—designed to thwart federal law enforcement.

The Maryland Governor’s Office issued a statement saying, “We do not comment on active cases, but Governor Moore is clear: Maryland will work with the federal government when that coordination keeps our people safe—but we will not allow Donald Trump’s untrained, unqualified, and unaccountable ICE agents to be deployed to perform immigration enforcement duties alongside our law enforcement officers.”