Baltimore County designated only ‘sanctuary’ jurisdiction in Maryland, says it’s a mistake

by Lauren Lifke, Maryland Matters
August 6, 2025

The Justice Department released a sharply reduced list of “sanctuary jurisdictions” Tuesday that identified Baltimore County as the only such jurisdiction in the state — a designation that Baltimore County officials insist is a mistake.

“Baltimore County is not a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’. We believe our inclusion on this list was in error,” County Executive Kathy Klausmeier in a prepared statement after the release of the new list Tuesday. “Our Office of Law is currently contacting the Department of Justice to correct this mistake.”

Being designated a sanctuary jurisdiction could be more than just a nuisance for the county. The designation stems from an April executive order signed by President Donald Trump that directed federal agency heads to “identify appropriate Federal funds to sanctuary jurisdictions, including grants and contracts, for suspension or termination” if they do not change their ways.

It’s not clear how the Justice Department, with the help of the Department of Homeland Security, determined Baltimore County to be a sanctuary jurisdiction. The agencies listed a number of factors they considered — from providing undocumented immigrants with public benefits to refusing to cooperate with federal agents — as evidence of policies that “materially impede enforcement of federal immigration statutes.”

The Justice Department did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for comment on Baltimore County’s designation.

It would not be the first time the Trump administration has stumbled in its attempts to identify sanctuary jurisdictions. The Department of Homeland Security made its first attempt in May, releasing a list of more than 500 states, counties and cities that it said were sanctuary cities.

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The list was pulled back within days after an outcry from governments and local police agencies who insisted they did not have sanctuary policies.

Maryland was one of 37 states identified on that list, which had 10 Maryland municipalities, including Baltimore City, and eight counties in the state: Anne Arundel, Baltimore County, Charles, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s and Talbot.

Most of the municipalities were in Prince George’s County: Cheverly, College Park, Edmonston, Greenbelt, Hyattsville and Mount Rainier. Other cities identified as sanctuary cities were Annapolis, Rockville and Takoma Park.

Officials in many of those jurisdictions were puzzled by the designation. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement that while the city makes no apologies for being welcoming to immigrants, “by definition, Baltimore is not a sanctuary city, because we do not have jurisdiction over our jails. We follow our limited obligations as defined under federal immigration law.”

The new list includes 12 states and the District of Columbia, but Maryland is no longer among them. It also includes 18 cities and four counties, including Baltimore County, the only Maryland jurisdiction on the new list.

There is no formal definition of sanctuary city, but it is generally understood to be a state or local goverment that restricts cooperation with federal agents on immigration enforcement. Supporters said the policies are better in the long run, because they foster trust of police in immigrant communities.

But the Justice Department described sanctuary jurisdictions as “states, cities, and counties identified as having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws.” In a press release unveiling the new list, Attorney General Pam Bondi said sanctuary policies “impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design.”

“The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country,” Bondi’s statement said.

Klausmeier said there’s nothing harmful about Baltimore County’s policies.

“Public safety remains a top priority, where we practice community policing – an approach proven to enhance safety by encouraging cooperation with law enforcement at varying levels,” her statement said. “We will continue to support our valued law enforcement personnel while following federal, state, and local laws.”

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Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: editor@marylandmatters.org.