The sanctuary state stunt that has Maryland sheriffs seeing red — and fighting back
Maryland’s sanctuary-state fever is colliding headfirst with reality — and the state’s sheriffs have finally had enough.
In a move that should have happened the moment lawmakers cooked up this latest immigration restriction, 17 of Maryland’s 24 elected sheriffs have marched into federal court to challenge the so-called Community Trust Act. Despite its warm-and-fuzzy branding, critics say the law does the exact opposite of what its title promises: It makes cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities dramatically more difficult.
Welcome to the modern progressive playbook. Give a bill a comforting name, claim it builds trust, then act shocked when police officers point out it could make communities less safe.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Maryland with support from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), represents sheriffs from counties across the state. Together, they account for roughly 70 percent of Maryland’s sheriffs — hardly a fringe group of political agitators. These are the officials voters elected to protect their communities, and they’re warning that Annapolis politicians have placed them in an impossible position.
Their complaint is straightforward: the state is effectively telling local law enforcement to step away when federal immigration authorities come calling.
Under the new law, local detention facilities face significant restrictions on honoring ICE detainer requests, sharing certain information, or holding deportable offenders beyond scheduled release times except under limited circumstances. Supporters call that reform. Opponents call it obstruction.
In a move that should have happened the moment lawmakers cooked up this latest immigration restriction, 17 of Maryland’s 24 elected sheriffs have marched into federal court to challenge the so-called Community Trust Act. Despite its warm-and-fuzzy branding, critics say the law does the exact opposite of what its title promises: It makes cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities dramatically more difficult.
Welcome to the modern progressive playbook. Give a bill a comforting name, claim it builds trust, then act shocked when police officers point out it could make communities less safe.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Maryland with support from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), represents sheriffs from counties across the state. Together, they account for roughly 70 percent of Maryland’s sheriffs — hardly a fringe group of political agitators. These are the officials voters elected to protect their communities, and they’re warning that Annapolis politicians have placed them in an impossible position.
Their complaint is straightforward: the state is effectively telling local law enforcement to step away when federal immigration authorities come calling.
Under the new law, local detention facilities face significant restrictions on honoring ICE detainer requests, sharing certain information, or holding deportable offenders beyond scheduled release times except under limited circumstances. Supporters call that reform. Opponents call it obstruction.
70-79, M