AG Brown issued the following statement on the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice challenging Maryland’s Community Trust Act:

“The Community Trust Act does not prohibit Maryland law enforcement from working with federal authorities on criminal matters, nor does it stop federal officers from operating in Maryland. It governs only how Maryland’s own state and local law enforcement resources may be used. The Constitution does not let the federal government compel states to carry out federal immigration enforcement. So, when Maryland chooses not to spend its resources on that federal work, it is not defying the law, it is exercising a right the Supreme Court has recognized. My Office is committed to upholding the rule of law, and we will defend Maryland’s policies because they do exactly that.” -AG Brown