Maryland Trust Act Limits ICE Cooperation Statewide

Public Safety Article 4-114, enacted as part of the Maryland Values Act and expanded under recent legislation, prohibits state and local law enforcement, correctional facilities, and most public agencies from inquiring about immigration status, detaining individuals solely on federal civil immigration detainers, or entering into 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Public schools, hospitals, courthouses, and shelters are designated sensitive locations where civil immigration enforcement is restricted. Agencies may still cooperate on criminal warrants signed by judges and may share information required by federal law such as 8 U.S.C. 1373. The law applies uniformly across all Maryland counties and municipalities.

Agencies that violate the Trust Act may face civil enforcement actions by the Attorney General, while individuals harmed may seek injunctive relief and damages under state civil rights laws.