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Department of Justice sues Maryland over ‘sanctuary’ immigration policies

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 22:56:07 -0400

The Department of Justice is suing Maryland and State Attorney General Anthony Brown, alleging the state’s "sanctuary" policies hinder the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

The lawsuit claims that Maryland’s sanctuary policies are illegal under federal law and that the state’s "refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities" has had negative consequences for immigration law enforcement officials.

According to the lawsuit, the state’s refusal to cooperate has led to facilities refusing to help transfer immigrants to federal custody.

Under the direction of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the DOJ’s Civil Division will identify state and local laws, policies and practices that violate federal laws or impede federal operations.

"When sanctuary jurisdictions enact laws to shield [undocumented immigrants] from federal law enforcement, it is not merely federal law that is violated, but the voices of everyday American voters silenced," said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.

The lawsuit cites Maryland’s Community Trust Act, a law that went into effect in May, which prevents local law enforcement from holding an individual without a warrant on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). There is an exception for those who commit felonies or sex offenses.

The Community Trust Act law sparked pushback from local law enforcement leaders across the state, with 17 of Maryland's 24 sheriffs suing, and saying the law "undermines public safety and restricts cooperation" between local and federal officials.

"Such blatant disregard for federal laws that have been on the books for decades is not merely a political disagreement or passive abstention; it is deliberate, disruptive action that jeopardizes the public safety for all Americans," the DOJ lawsuit reads. "The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution prohibits a state from obstructing Congress and the Executive in this manner."

Car crashes into Rock Creek during rainy weather in D.C.

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:47:52 -0400

A car crashed into Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., Thursday evening as storms brought heavy rain to the region.

U.S. Park Police (USPP) said the single-vehicle crash happened on southbound Rock Creek Parkway at Massachusetts Avenue around 6:30 p.m.

Officials said the driver, who was the only person in the car, lost control and crashed into the creek.

The driver was able to get out of the car and refused medical treatment. No one was injured during the incident.

The crash caused temporary closures on the north and southbound lanes of Rock Creek Parkway, officials said around 8:30 p.m. Lanes have since reopened. DC Harbor was called to help with swift water resources.

USPP officials shared a reminder about safe driving during wet weather, saying roads are slippery during the first 10 to 15 minutes of rain and drivers should reduce speed to prevent crashes.

The crash came as severe weather alerts were in effect across the region for flooding and thunderstorms. The storms prompted a Tornado Warning in Charles and St. Mary's counties in Maryland around 6:30 p.m., along with a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for parts of D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia.

Proposed 302-foot Sphere would become National Harbor's tallest venue

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:30:33 -0400

New details have emerged regarding a proposed 302-foot "Sphere" entertainment venue in Maryland's National Harbor, which is set to become the tallest structure in the area.

According to planning documents filed with Prince George's County, the 6,000-seat facility will sit directly north of National Harbor in the current event parking lot.

The entire project, including the venue and its parking lots, will span 14 acres. To accommodate visitors, an additional parking lot is slated for nearby Oxon Hill Road, and the preliminary layout features adjacent pedestrian plazas and a dedicated ride share drop-off zone.

At 302 feet off the ground, the venue will tower over local landmarks, standing just a couple of hundred feet shorter than the Washington Monument and significantly taller than National Harbor's iconic 180-foot Ferris wheel. While it will dominate the local skyline, it will be smaller than the 18,000-seat, 336-foot-tall Sphere in Las Vegas.

Because the site sits roughly five miles from Reagan National Airport, the project has drawn attention from federal aviation officials.

"Under federal law, developers must give the FAA the opportunity to evaluate proposed structures near airports to determine whether they could pose a hazard to aircraft or interfere with navigation aids," the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement. "If the FAA determines the structure height would be a presumed hazard, we try to negotiate a lower height with the developer."

However, the FAA’s ultimate determination functions as a recommendation and is not legally binding on the developers.

The preliminary plans, first reported by the Washington Business Journal, provide the first concrete look at how pedestrians and traffic will flow through the major entertainment space.