Justice Department Sues Maryland Over Sanctuary Policies

Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Maryland and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown over the State's sanctuary policies that interfere with the federal government's enforcement of its 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," said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. "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."

"The American people are ultimately the ones who suffer when states pass these irresponsible sanctuary policies," said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "The Department of Justice will always defend the Constitution and the rule of law, and it does so today by challenging Maryland's efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement."

Not only are the sanctuary policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Maryland's refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities has already had negative operational consequences for federal immigration law enforcement, with facilities refusing to facilitate transferring illegal aliens to federal custody even when presented with a routine detainer. The State's and City's intentional efforts to obstruct federal law enforcement put citizens at risk and are preempted under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Acting Attorney General Blanche has instructed the Department's Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal laws or impede lawful federal operations. Today's lawsuit is the latest in a series of 20 other lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal policies designed to thwart federal law enforcement across the country, including in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and New York.