President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing Maryland over its sanctuary state policies that seek to shield illegal aliens from federal immigration enforcement.
“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 a 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. [Emphasis added]
In its lawsuit, the DOJ accuses Maryland and top state officials like Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) of impeding the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who are tasked with enforcing federal immigration laws approved by Congress.
The lawsuit specifically calls out Maryland’s “Community Trust Act,” which was enacted this year. The law prohibits local law enforcement and state agencies from working with ICE agents under any circumstances.
“The Act’s purpose and effect is to obstruct federal law enforcement and thwart the constitutional obligation of the President of the United States to take care that the immigration laws enacted by Congress are enforced,” the lawsuit states of the Community Trust Act. “… the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution prohibits a state from obstructing Congress and the Executive in this manner.”
The DOJ’s lawsuit against Maryland is the latest of some 20 lawsuits against sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States. The agency has sued Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York for similar policies.
Most recently, a federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden threw out a DOJ lawsuit against sanctuary jurisdictions in New Jersey, claiming the federal government does not have standing to sue.
The case is U.S. v. Maryland, No. 1:26-cv-2719 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.