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SB 791MARYLANDSession 2026State BillBecame law without the governor's signature
Enacted

Maryland restricts local and state law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities under the Community Trust Act

Original title: Correctional Services and Criminal Procedure - Immigration Enforcement - Prohibitions (Community Trust Act)

Last action · May 31, 2026: Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 872Sponsor: Clarence Lam

Companion · HB 1575same policy, House version
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

Maryland enacts the Community Trust Act, prohibiting state and local correctional facilities and law enforcement agents from inquiring about immigration status, detaining individuals for s without valid s, or sharing custody information with federal immigration authorities except under specific exceptions.

Why it matters

The measure alters daily procedures for police officers and jail staff across Maryland while giving individuals the right to sue state and local agencies for actual and punitive damages if staff violate these restrictions.

Background
  • State legislation concerning immigration enforcement and cooperation between local jails and federal authorities has been a frequent subject of debate across various U.S. states. context
  • Wes Moore serves as the Governor of Maryland, having enacted the legislation under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

State and local correctional facility employees

Staff are restricted from inquiring about immigration status, honoring non-judicial detainers, and sharing facility access, and face agency penalties for non-compliance.

Directly affected

Law enforcement agents

Officers are barred from asking about immigration status during stops or arrests and must adopt new agency-wide policies regarding civil immigration matters.

Directly affected

Immigrants and individuals in custody

Individuals gain legal protections against civil immigration inquiries and detentions by local authorities, as well as the right to sue for violations.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can local police still ask about immigration status during a routine traffic stop?
No. Law enforcement agents are prohibited from inquiring about an individual's citizenship, immigration status, or place of birth during a stop, search, or arrest, unless the information is material to a criminal investigation.
What happens if a correctional facility violates these new rules?
Individuals subjected to a violation may bring a civil action in court seeking actual damages, punitive damages, and temporary, preliminary, or permanent injunctive relief.
Are judges allowed to look at immigration detainers when setting bail?
Yes. A District Court commissioner or judge may consider the existence of an as a factor when deciding whether to authorize pretrial release or set bond or bail for a defendant charged with a felony.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Became law without the governor's signature.

Procedural history

54 actions
  1. May 31, 2026Governor of Maryland
    Enacted under Article II, Section 17(c) of the Maryland Constitution - Chapter 872
  2. Apr 13, 2026SenateFloor
    Passed Enrolled
  3. Apr 13, 2026SenateFloor
    Third Reading Passed (32-15)
  4. Apr 13, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate Concurs House Amendments
  5. Apr 11, 2026HouseFloor
    Third Reading Passed with Amendments (92-37)
  6. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 543022/1 (Delegate Grammer) Rejected (36-91)
Show 48 earlier actions
  1. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 793324/1 (Delegate M. Morgan) Rejected (36-91)
  2. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 113221/1 (Delegate Grammer) Rejected (34-93)
  3. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 823326/1 (Delegate Chisholm) Rejected (36-93)
  4. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 623628/1 (Delegate Buckel) Rejected (37-92)
  5. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 113321/1 (Delegate Buckel) Rejected (37-89)
  6. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 903624/1 (Delegate Wivell) Adopted
  7. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 763627/1 (Delegate Tomlinson) Rejected (35-89)
  8. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 603221/1 (Delegate Mangione) Withdrawn
  9. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 263227/1 (Delegate Griffith) Rejected (35-90)
  10. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 213729/1 (Delegate Miller) Rejected (40-83)
  11. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 213320/1 (Delegate Hartman) Rejected (35-90)
  12. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 233223/1 (Delegate Beauchamp) Rejected (40-84)
  13. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 363526/1 (Delegate McComas) Rejected (38-85)
  14. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 183527/1 (Delegate T. Morgan) Rejected (38-86)
  15. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 863525/1 (Delegate Rose) Rejected (39-86)
  16. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 773921/1 (Delegate Rose) Rejected (40-85)
  17. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 483221/1 (Delegate Pippy) Rejected (41-83)
  18. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 793626/1 (Delegate Buckel) Rejected (42-85)
  19. Apr 11, 2026HouseFloor
    Second Reading Passed with Amendments
  20. Apr 11, 2026House
    Floor Amendment { 263522/1 (Delegate Szeliga) Rejected (35-91)
  21. Apr 11, 2026House
    Favorable with Amendments { 583829/1 Adopted
  22. Apr 11, 2026HouseCommittee
    Favorable with Amendments Report by Judiciary
  23. Apr 11, 2026HouseCommittee
    Rereferred to Judiciary
  24. Apr 11, 2026HouseCommittee
    Referred Rules and Executive Nominations
  25. Apr 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Third Reading Passed (29-13)
  26. Apr 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Second Reading Passed with Amendments
  27. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 873025/1 (Senator Gallion) Rejected (16-25)
  28. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 353624/1 (Senator McKay) Rejected (14-27)
  29. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 193022/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected (13-28)
  30. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 743620/1 (Senator Mautz) Rejected (16-26)
  31. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 283526/1 (Senator West) Rejected (15-26)
  32. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 793424/1 (Senator Mautz) Rejected (18-24)
  33. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 513425/1 (Senator Corderman) Rejected (17-25)
  34. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 243822/1 (Senator Salling) Rejected (18-24)
  35. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 953323/1 (Senator Carozza) Rejected (17-25)
  36. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 883420/1 (Senator Corderman) Rejected (17-26)
  37. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 853425/1 (Senator McKay) Rejected
  38. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 653025/1 (Senator Ready) Rejected (16-25)
  39. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Floor Amendment { 993528/1 (Senator Folden) Adopted
  40. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Favorable with Amendments Adopted (28-15)
  41. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Committee Amendment Adopted
  42. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Favorable with Amendments { 973824/1
  43. Apr 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Motion Laid Over (Senator Smith) Adopted
  44. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Motion Special Order until Next Session (Senator Hershey) Rejected (13-33)
  45. Apr 10, 2026Senate
    Favorable with Amendments { 973824/1
  46. Apr 10, 2026SenateCommittee
    Favorable with Amendments Report by Judicial Proceedings
  47. Feb 12, 2026Senate
    Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.
  48. Feb 6, 2026SenateIntroduced
    First Reading Judicial Proceedings

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Clarence LamSenate · District 12DemocraticSponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift99% confidence

Statewide Limit on Civil Immigration Cooperation

Maryland shifts state policy to prohibit local and state correctional and law enforcement personnel from cooperating with federal civil immigration detainers unless backed by a judicial warrant or specific statutory exceptions.

District CourtMaryland Police Training and Standards Commission

Connected Entities

United States Department of Homeland Security, Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission, Clarence Lam and 3 more
OrganizationUnited States Department of Homeland Security“Federal agency issuing documents excluded from the definition of court orders an”Map →
OrganizationMaryland Police Training and Standards Commission“Certifies law enforcement agents under the Public Safety Article”Map →
PersonClarence Lam“Bill sponsor in the Maryland General Assembly”Map →
OrganizationDistrict Court“Authorized to consider immigration detainers in pretrial release and bail decisi”Map →
OrganizationUnited States Department of Justice“Federal agency issuing documents excluded from the definition of court orders an”Map →
OrganizationBaltimore City Detention Center“Local correctional facility partially exempted from certain notice requirements”Map →

Sources

Open source document

mgaleg.maryland.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy80
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz75
    Current news / social attention level

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