Calvert, St. Mary’s Sheriffs Join Federal Lawsuit Challenging Maryland Community Trust Act

GREENBELT, Md. — The sheriffs of Calvert and St. Mary’s counties are among 17 Maryland sheriffs challenging the state’s new Community Trust Act in federal court, arguing the law restricts local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities and creates public safety concerns.

The lawsuit was announced Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt against the State of Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore and Attorney General Anthony Brown. The sheriffs involved represent Allegany, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

The lawsuit challenges Senate Bill 791, known as the Community Trust Act. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Clarence Lam, D-Anne Arundel and Howard, became law after Moore allowed it to take effect without his signature. In Maryland, governors have 30 days after the legislative session ends to sign or veto bills. If no veto is issued within that period, a bill automatically becomes law.

Under the law, local correctional facilities generally may not continue holding detainees based on ICE administrative warrants alone. Instead, local law enforcement agencies would generally only be required to recognize a judicial warrant. The law also restricts certain notifications to federal immigration authorities and limits access to nonpublic areas and records inside correctional facilities, unless required by law, court order or specific exceptions.

The act followed earlier legislation, HB444/SB245, which was signed early in the 2026 legislative session and banned 287(g) agreements, the formal cooperation agreements between ICE and local law enforcement agencies.

Calvert County Sheriff Ricky Cox, one of the sheriffs involved in the lawsuit, criticized the law and argued it could place law enforcement officers in conflict with federal immigration enforcement.

“This act exposes our law enforcement professionals to federal criminal liability for unlawfully harboring and shielding removable criminal offenders, and ultimately jeopardizes our citizens,” Cox said in a statement.

St. Mary’s County Sheriff Steve Hall said the lawsuit is about obtaining clarity from the federal court.

“The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office respects the rule of law, the courts, and the legal process,” Hall said in a statement. “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.”

Hall said local agencies should not be forced to choose between state restrictions and lawful public safety cooperation with federal authorities.

“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,” Hall said. “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.”

Sheriffs challenging the law argue it interferes with their ability to work with federal authorities and puts local agencies in conflict with public safety responsibilities. The lawsuit claims the act obstructs federal law enforcement and prevents sheriffs from honoring certain immigration-related requests.

According to information provided with Cox’s statement, the sheriffs object to provisions they believe prohibit or severely limit local correctional facilities and law enforcement from holding individuals for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement beyond their scheduled release, except in narrow circumstances. They also argue the act restricts proactive notification or cooperation with ICE involving people in custody suspected of immigration violations and limits the use of local resources to assist federal civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.

The sheriffs argue they are sworn to uphold both state and federal law and contend the act places them in an impossible position by limiting cooperation they believe is authorized under federal law. They also argue immigration enforcement falls under federal jurisdiction and that state laws obstructing that authority violate the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Supporters of the Community Trust Act argue the law keeps local police focused on local crime, protects constitutional rights and prevents local agencies from functioning as an extension of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Moore, in allowing the bill to become law, backed the goal of keeping local law enforcement focused on local crime but also acknowledged implementation concerns. He stated the bill “presents real implementation challenges that must be addressed through executive action and in next year’s legislative session.”

The lawsuit comes after months of debate in Annapolis over how far Maryland should go in limiting state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Sheriffs and Republican lawmakers argued the restrictions could lead to the release of people who pose safety concerns, while immigration advocates and Democratic supporters maintained that local agencies should not hold people or share information based solely on civil immigration matters.

The Community Trust Act is now in effect while the federal lawsuit moves forward. The case now moves through federal court, where the sheriffs are challenging enforcement of the law while the legal fight continues.

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