Trump Justice Department Sues Maryland Over Sanctuary Law

The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against Maryland, arguing that the state’s new sanctuary law unlawfully blocks cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The Justice Department sued Maryland and Attorney General Anthony Brown on Thursday in U.S. District Court, challenging provisions of the state’s Community Trust Act. Federal officials say the law interferes with the government’s ability to identify, detain and remove illegal immigrants.

According to the complaint, the law restricts local jails from holding people at the request of federal immigration authorities and limits the information state and local agencies may share with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The Justice Department argues that those restrictions conflict with federal immigration law and violate the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which generally gives federal law priority when state and federal laws clash.

Administration officials say sanctuary policies make it harder for ICE to take custody of illegal immigrants who have already been arrested by local police. They also contend that such laws can force federal agents to make arrests in homes, workplaces or public places rather than in the more controlled environment of a jail.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to block Maryland from enforcing the challenged portions of the Community Trust Act.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown’s office initially declined to comment on the filing. The state is expected to argue that the federal government cannot force Maryland officers and jail employees to carry out federal immigration policy.

The case is the latest confrontation between the Trump administration and Democratic-led states and cities that limit cooperation with ICE. The Justice Department has pursued similar legal action against other sanctuary jurisdictions as part of the administration’s broader immigration crackdown.

Maryland has also clashed with the administration over plans for a large ICE detention facility in Washington County. Earlier this year, the state sued to halt construction of the proposed 1,500-bed center, arguing that federal officials failed to complete required environmental reviews and seek sufficient local input.

The Maryland sanctuary case could become another major test of where federal immigration authority ends and state control over local law enforcement begins.