The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday filed suit against the state of Maryland seeking to stop enforcement of the Community Trust Act, the law that took effect in May and restricts local and state cooperation with federal immigration authorities, according to the complaint.
The complaint, filed in federal court against the state and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, argues the law prevents local jails and state law enforcement from assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and therefore runs afoul of the Constitution’s supremacy clause. The DOJ is asking the court to declare the statute unconstitutional and grant permanent injunctive relief barring Maryland from enforcing it.
What the complaint says
Department of Justice attorneys wrote in the filing that the act "prevents" cooperation that the federal government deems necessary to enforce immigration laws enacted by Congress. The complaint alleges the law’s intent and effect is to obstruct federal officers carrying out immigration duties.
"When sanctuary jurisdictions enact laws to shield illegal aliens from federal law enforcement, it is not merely federal law that is violated, but the voices of everyday American voters silenced,"
said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward in a Justice Department statement accompanying the lawsuit. Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate said the department will continue to challenge sanctuary policies it views as impeding federal immigration enforcement.
State response and context for Maryland residents
A spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore, Rhyan Lake, said Maryland will cooperate with the federal government when that coordination improves public safety. In the same statement, Lake contrasted the state law with actions by federal immigration officers, asserting the law permits local policing to remain focused on violent offenders and protect civil rights.
The Community Trust Act was passed by a Democratic supermajority in the state Legislature and went into effect in May. The DOJ suit contends the statute unlawfully limits interactions with ICE and seeks judicial intervention to prevent enforcement across Maryland.
Practical impact for residents and local agencies
- Local jails and law enforcement agencies may face legal uncertainty about cooperating with ICE while the lawsuit proceeds.
- Maryland officials have said the law is intended to prioritize violent offenders and safeguard civil rights; the DOJ says it undermines federal immigration enforcement.
- Court rulings could determine whether Maryland can continue enforcing the act or must restore broader cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The lawsuit sets up a federal-state legal dispute that could affect how and when local agencies in Maryland share information with or honor requests from federal immigration authorities. Residents can expect heightened legal wrangling in the coming months as the case moves through federal court.
| Party | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Department of Justice | Seeking declaration the law is unconstitutional and a permanent injunction |
| Maryland (Governor's office / state officials) | Defend law as protecting public safety and civil rights; will coordinate with federal government when appropriate |
| Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown | Named defendant in the federal complaint |
The complaint, statements from Justice Department officials and the governor’s office frame the dispute as a constitutional clash over federal supremacy and state authority. The litigation will determine how the Community Trust Act applies in practice and what cooperation between Maryland agencies and ICE will look like going forward.
