Marylanders Demand Action Against Trump, DOGE Cuts: 'We Have Got To Stop Them'

TOWSON, MD — Social Security. Immigration enforcement. Disability services.

All were common concerns at a Thursday town hall at Towson University held by Congressman Johnny Olszewski (D-District 2). Asked how he's coping with the ongoing federal government downsizing, Olszewski responded, "Prayer, exercise and bourbon."

"I know a thing or two about how government's supposed to work," said Olszewski, a former civics teacher. "I talked about checks and balances and rule of law and transparency, and I can tell you, this ain't it."

Olszewski also introduced legislation Thursday that would prevent layoffs for federal employees who were just promoted. Probationary employees, those who were recently hired or promoted, are among the most common firings ordered by President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency.

"Don't get me wrong, I welcome efficiency," Olszewski told the crowd of a few hundred, saying it's possible to both invest in communities and trim costs. "'Efficiency' isn't a scary word, but DOGE should scare the hell out of you."

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Comptroller Brooke Lierman, both Democrats, joined Olszewski on stage. They painted a far-from-rosy picture as Trump slashes government spending, although the president says he's saving taxpayer dollars by eliminating waste.

Brown has filed several lawsuits against the Trump administration, with mixed results. He has challenged layoffs, the end to birthright citizenship and federal grant cuts. The courts sided with Trump on the layoffs, but they restored birthright citizenship until lawsuits play out. Judges are still hearing federal funding arguments.

"We'll win many. We'll lose some. We'll have confidence in the courts," Brown said. "You can't like the judiciary when you like the outcome and then not like the judiciary when you don't like the outcome."

The attorney general knows Democrats want immediate results, but he said lawsuits take time. While concerned about Trump's swift actions, Brown dismissed debate of a potential "Constitutional crisis."

"We're not in a Constitutional crisis, yet. Our Constitution is being challenged. The norms are being challenged," Brown said. "The courts are working. The media, the press, continues to work. We are able to gather here and have a town hall and conversation and critique an administration. Our Constitution, our democracy, is working. It's fragile. It's being tested. It's working."

Trump's cuts have a disproportionate impact on Maryland, where federal jobs make up a greater share of the workforce.

"Every state has different types of jobs," Lierman said. "Texas has oil and gas. Maryland has the federal government."

Maryland had 161,000 federal jobs before layoffs began. That number grows even higher when adding in federal contractors.

Federal wages account for 4.4% of income in Baltimore County and as much as 22% for Charles and St. Mary's counties. That reliance on federal employment makes the layoffs sting especially hard in Maryland.

Budget officials estimated last month that 13,000 federal workers and contractors from Maryland had already lost their jobs. They projected that the layoffs and buyouts could soon reach 28,700 in Maryland, costing the state and local governments $262 million in revenue from tax year 2025.

Lierman is also preparing for additional federal grant cuts. Maryland is on track to receive $19 billion in federal funds this fiscal year. That payout could decline in future years if grant cuts continue.

"There is an economic storm on our doorstep," Lierman said. "Unfortunately, it will be Marylanders … that are going to shoulder the burden."

Lierman also focused on Trump's proposed tariffs, which she said could increase expenses by $2,100 per household.

"I just got a notice from a store where I buy lots of my suits in Canada that I better order today because starting May 2, they will be a lot more expensive," Lierman said.

Older residents in the crowd were especially concerned about the future of Social Security, as projections for its long-term viability look bleak. They also worried about potential Medicare cuts.

"I have an elderly mom who's 94 years old, and she relies on Social Security," Catonsville resident Norda Hodgson said. "I just hope my representative is fighting for me."

Hodgson teaches English for Speakers of Other Languages, a Maryland program that received $16.3 million in federal grants last fiscal year. With Trump's plans to close the Education Department, the high school teacher is uncertain about the future of her classroom.

"How are we going to fund education for those children?" Hodgson asked rhetorically. "Each county relies on federal funding for their budget. If they don't have that, then what's going to happen to the teachers?"

Immigration came up several times, as two high-profile cases remain in Maryland headlines.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement wrongfully deported a Beltsville father with protected legal status to El Salvador, a move the Supreme Court later reversed. ICE also recently broke a car window in Westminster to arrest a mother. Agents alleged both people had ties to the MS-13 gang, though defense lawyers dispute these claims.

"If they come after our mothers in cars and break windows and drag them out, we have got to stop them," Baltimore native Claudia Morrell said, tearing up as she spoke. "We have got to find a way to protect our citizens and our immigrants and our undocumented workers that put food on our table."

Douglas Smith worries about potential federal cuts to disability services. Smith, chair of the Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities, highlighted the community's collective voice. As evidence, he pointed to a quickly squashed proposal to cut $200 million from disability services in Maryland.

"We are loud. We may have perceived mobility issues, but we mobilize very quickly," Smith said. "Reach out. Lead us. We'll crawl up those … steps."

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