BALTIMORE, Md. — Maryland’s Attorney General, Anthony G. Brown, has allied with a group of 20 state attorneys general to oppose the Trump administration’s initiative to significantly broaden the application of ‘expedited removal’ — a rapid deportation procedure that detractors argue threatens constitutional due process rights and poses a risk of unjust detention or deportation of U.S. residents.
The coalition filed an amicus brief in Make the Road New York v. Noem, urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to uphold a lower court’s order blocking the expansion. The attorneys general contend that the policy breaches established legal precedent, which ensures constitutional protections for everyone present on U.S. territory.
“The Trump administration is trying to undermine due process, the foundation of the American legal system, so that it can carry out its unlawful immigration policy without respecting rights guaranteed to everyone in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status,” said Brown. “We’re fighting this policy because too many Marylanders are already living in fear, afraid to go to work, take their children to school, or report crimes — and that makes all of our communities less safe.”
Under the proposed expansion, officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security could deport undocumented immigrants from any location in the country via expedited proceedings. This process does not permit access to legal representation, witnesses, or a hearing before an immigration judge.
Previously, expedited removal was restricted to individuals who were apprehended within 14 days of their entry and within 100 miles of the border. The new regulation broadens this authority to a nationwide level, allowing for the deportation of anyone who cannot convincingly demonstrate to an immigration officer that they have resided in the U.S. continuously for a minimum of two years.
Civil rights advocates and state officials caution that this expansion may result in a rise in errors and abuses, as immigration officers are tasked with making complex decisions under pressure and without judicial oversight. In recent years, reports have already highlighted cases of U.S. citizens and lawful residents being detained under expedited removal provisions.
The coalition’s statement contends that the regulation will inflict significant damage on families, local economies, and community safety. States highlight that millions of U.S.-born children reside in mixed-status households, and the fear of deportation could deter immigrants from reporting crimes or accessing healthcare. Economists have also warned that large-scale deportations could shrink the nation’s gross domestic product by up to 7.4% by 2028 and raise consumer prices by more than 9%.
The attorneys general joining Brown include officials from California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
The case, Make the Road New York v. Noem, continues in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
