MARYLAND (WBFF) — The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of Maryland over “sanctuary policies” and the Community Trust Act, which they argue obstructs federal law enforcement from enforcing immigration laws.
“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. “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.”
The Community Trust Act is an immigration bill that curbs local cooperation with federal immigration officials. Under the legislation, a felony conviction or a judicial warrant must be present before local law enforcement could communicate with ICE about someone’s immigration status.
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“I think the lawsuit’s very valid and very needed,” Republican lawmaker Robin Grammer said. “The Community Trust Act, as it’s been called, really is a complete obstruction of local jurisdictions working with the federal government on public safety policies, which are really paramount right now.”
Governor Wes Moore allowed the bill to become law without his signature. At the time, while Governor Moore said the bill advances an important goal, he acknowledged there were implementation challenges.
In a statement, a spokesperson from Governor Wes Moore’s Office said, “While we cannot comment on active litigation, Governor Moore has been clear: Maryland will work with the federal government when that coordination makes our people safer – but we will not let Donald Trump’s untrained, unqualified, and unaccountable ICE agents deputize our law enforcement officers to do immigration work. While Trump’s ICE has ripped mothers out of cars and detained five-year-old children, Maryland’s law allows our law enforcement to continue working with federal officers to get violent offenders off our streets, remain focused on the work that has helped drive historic reductions in violent crime, and protect fundamental civil rights. Maryland will always protect constitutional rights and give law enforcement the tools they need to keep people safe.”
Senate President Bill Ferguson also released a statement saying, “We passed this law because public safety depends on trust.”
“Public safety is strongest when local law enforcement can build trust with the communities they serve, not when people fear that any interaction with government could escalate into an immigration enforcement action,” Ferguson continued to say.
“The Community Trust Act is not an obstacle to public safety. It is one of the reasons Maryland is safer. This lawsuit is a weak political attempt at punishing Maryland for refusing to turn our schools, neighborhoods, and local police departments into extensions of President Trump’s mass deportation regime of terror,” We Are CASA Executive Director George Escobar said.
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