Maryland Lawmakers Act Against ICE Facility
On Wednesday, Maryland Democratic lawmakers hurried to pass emergency legislation aiming to prevent local police from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This swift action came on the heels of an announcement about a new ICE facility slated for construction in the state.
In mid-January, a letter from the Department of Homeland Security was sent to both the Historic District Commission and the Washington County Planning and Zoning Department, signaling plans for a “new ICE Baltimore processing facility.” This was part of a broader plan, which apparently includes storage and processing areas, offices, visiting spaces, cafeterias, restrooms, and medical facilities.
Under federal law, the DHS is required to inform local governments if a project could affect historic properties. However, the county lacks the legal authority to block the facility’s purchase, and DHS did not communicate directly about the transaction. Records reveal that on January 22, DHS purchased the 825,620-square-foot Hagerstown warehouse for $102.4 million, a move tracked by Project Salt Box, which monitors federal property acquisitions for ICE-related purposes.
This Hagerstown facility is one of several warehouses nationwide being considered for potential detainee operations. It appears to be a strategy to sidestep Maryland’s Dignity Not Detention policy, which prohibits new contracts allowing ICE to detain migrants in local or state facilities. By establishing its own detention sites, ICE can operate independently of state efforts.
In response, Maryland Democrats pushed forward a bill to further restrict ICE’s authority. Just days prior, the state Senate Judicial Procedures Committee greenlit a bill aimed at terminating agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
Shortly after the warehouse became public knowledge, the House Judiciary Committee introduced an emergency amendment to the bill, allowing it to take effect as soon as the governor signs it rather than waiting until the usual June 1 date. House sponsor Democratic Rep. Nicole Williams expressed hope that the Senate would support a similar amendment. “This bill is going to take a long time,” she commented post-vote, adding that emergency measures were crucial.
On the other hand, Republican Rep. Susan McComas criticized the bill, claiming it undermines counties’ rights to determine their own immigration enforcement policies.
Maryland’s federal delegation has echoed concerns. In a letter directed to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, several Democratic members of Congress sought clarification regarding the new facility’s implications. They contended that the Hagerstown warehouse is ill-equipped to adequately house and care for potential detainees. “Our state has spoken,” the lawmakers declared, invoking principles of federalism and self-governance, ideals which McComas accused state Democrats of neglecting.
