LEONARDTOWN — St. Mary’s County Sheriff Steve Hall and Calvert County Sheriff Ricky Cox are among 17 Maryland sheriffs who filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday seeking to block the Community Trust Act, arguing the new law obstructs their ability to work with federal immigration authorities and threatens public safety in Southern Maryland.
The civil suit, Federation for American Immigration Reform v. Moore, was filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt on behalf of sheriffs from Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester counties. It names Gov. Wes Moore, Attorney General Anthony Brown and the state of Maryland as defendants.
The Community Trust Act, Senate Bill 791, sponsored by Sen. Clarence Lam, D-Anne Arundel and Howard, prohibits local law enforcement from honoring ICE administrative warrants or proactively cooperating with federal immigration enforcement except in narrow circumstances. It requires a judicial warrant for detention beyond scheduled release in most cases.
Sheriff Hall issued a detailed statement emphasizing the local stakes in St. Mary’s County.
“The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office respects the rule of law, the courts, and the legal process,” Hall said. “This lawsuit is intended to obtain clarity from the federal court on whether Maryland may lawfully prohibit or restrict sheriffs from cooperating with federal immigration authorities in the manner challenged in the complaint. My concern is with individuals who are already in local custody because they have been arrested, charged, or convicted in connection with criminal conduct within St. Mary’s County, and who are also the subject of lawful federal immigration interest.
“Our position is straightforward: local law enforcement should not be forced to choose between complying with state restrictions and fulfilling lawful public safety cooperation with federal authorities. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting all residents of St. Mary’s County, enforcing the law fairly, and ensuring that our deputies and correctional personnel are not placed in a legally conflicting position while carrying out their sworn duties.”
Sheriff Cox outlined specific restrictions imposed by the act and the resulting public safety concerns for Calvert County.
“The Act prohibits or severely limits: local correctional facilities and law enforcement from detaining individuals for ICE beyond their scheduled release, except in narrow circumstances (e.g., certain felony convictions or specific prison terms); proactive notification or cooperation with ICE regarding individuals in custody suspected of immigration violations; and use of local resources to assist with federal civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant,” Cox stated.
Key arguments in the suit and from the sheriffs include that the law places them in an impossible position by limiting cooperation authorized under federal law, that federal immigration authority is supreme under the Supremacy Clause, and that it endangers residents by forcing the release of individuals with criminal records.
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, the lead plaintiff, spoke at an Annapolis news conference Wednesday. “This legislation is not about trust, and it’s certainly not about supporting the law-abiding members of our community. It is an intentional state-mandated obstruction of public safety,” Gahler said. “It forbids us from sharing information with federal authorities and prohibits us from honoring immigration detainers, forcing us to release criminal illegal offenders right back into the streets of our Maryland communities.”
The suit was filed by the Federation for American Immigration Reform. It claims the law “intentionally obstruct[s] federal law enforcement and thwart[s] Plaintiffs’ obligation to uphold the Constitution of the United States.”
Charles County Sheriff Troy Berry did not join the lawsuit. The Southern Maryland Chronicle reached out to his office for comment on why Charles County chose not to participate but has not yet received a response.
The act was passed on the final day of the 2025 legislative session. Gov. Wes Moore allowed it to become law without his signature. His spokesperson reiterated that the state will work with federal authorities but will not allow ICE to deputize local officers for immigration work.
The lawsuit comes more than a month after passage and follows earlier legislation banning 287(g) agreements. Eight of nine Maryland counties with such agreements dropped them.
House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, R-Allegany, attended the news conference and criticized the act as creating unnecessary roadblocks to enforcement.
Southern Maryland’s three counties — Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s — face unique border and coastal security challenges along the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. Local sheriffs have historically cooperated with federal partners on immigration enforcement to address criminal activity linked to undocumented individuals.
The sheriffs argue the new law hampers their sworn duty to protect residents while creating legal conflicts for deputies and correctional staff. The suit seeks a court ruling on whether the state can lawfully restrict such cooperation.
The case is in its early stages. No hearing date has been set. Attorney General Brown’s office declined comment Wednesday.
