The federal government is suing Maryland over what it called are sanctuary policies that interfere with immigration enforcement efforts.
In a statement released Thursday evening, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a lawsuit against the state and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown.
The DOJ said Maryland’s policies are illegal under federal law. The lawsuit specifically related to the recently passed Community Trust Act, which Gov. Wes Moore allowed to become law without his signature. The act restricts state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement.
The federal lawsuit alleges Maryland facilities refused to transfer undocumented immigrants to federal officials even when issued a detainer.
“Federal immigration officers merely enforce the laws that our nation’s elected representatives in Congress passed, reflecting the will of We the People,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in the statement. “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. Today’s suit proves that this department will never stand for such lawless action from blue state leaders.”
