Baltimore County passes emergency bill prohibiting private detention facilities

An emergency bill preventing private detention facilities was passed in Baltimore County on Tuesday.

Councilmembers voted 6-0 during an emergency session after learning that the U.S. General Services Administration leased an office space in Cockeysville.

"I don't want to wait for them to spring up barb wire for me to figure out what's going on," Councilman Julian Jones, who drafted the legislation, said.

Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier's office said they aren't sure of the exact scope of the work being done at the location. The office does not believe the Cockeysville location will be a detention center.

However, the bill, which goes into effect immediately, is a preventative measure to stop a private detention facility in the future.  

"In Baltimore County, protecting the safety, dignity and rights of our community is our top priority," Klausmeier said. "This legislation responds to a troubling national pattern of immigrant families being detained in facilities that have opened without notice or consideration of community impact."

Klausmeier added, "The presence of such facilities can disrupt local businesses, strain public safety resources, and create significant disruption for surrounding communities."

U.S. Congressman Johnny Olszewski, the former Baltimore County executive, applauded Klausmeier's proactive approach.

"Baltimore and communities across America deserve safety, stability, and policies rooted in constitutional principles," Olszewski said. "Leaders at every level of government must work together to protect our residents, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that enforcement actions respect the rights and dignity of all people."

What will be at the facility?

A source with knowledge of the lease told WJZ that the federal government has lawyers working in the building, but they do not know what specific job they are doing.

The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor and Law Practice Division, which is the legal arm of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has active job postings, which include vacancies in Baltimore, according to a federal hiring website.

The county council says the bill passed Tuesday stands as a preventive measure against the possibility of these kinds of facilities in the future. 

"I have not talked to a Republican or Democrat anywhere in my district who wants a detention center, and I have a lot of warehouse space in my district," Republican councilman David Marks said.

Marks and Republican councilman Wade Kach joined four democrats to pass this bill.

The council says while it can't control the federal buildings in the county, it can limit how private property is used by the federal agencies. This includes revoking any permit filed for a detention center.

"If there's a permit on file, if somebody applied for a permit, it will be canceled," Jones said.

In another effort to limit federal agents in the county, Councilman Izzy Patoka introduced a bill to ban facial coverings for law enforcement, which is similar to legislation already before the Maryland General Assembly. Patoka's bill will have a public hearing on February 24.

Earlier this month, the council passed a pair of bills introduced by Patoka to create the county's Office of Immigrant Affairs and restrict its ability to work with ICE.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told WJZ it would not confirm office locations because of security threats against officers.

The department confirmed it is actively expanding its ICE workforce. The department has added 12,000 ICE officers since last summer.

"ICE will not confirm office locations as our officers are facing a coordinated campaign of violence against them including an 8,000% increase in death threats against them and a 1,300% increase in assaults against them," a DHS spokesperson stated. "Is it really news that when a federal agency hires more personnel that they need more space?"

DHS added, "Thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country. That's a 120% increase in our workforce."

Similar bill passed in Howard County

A similar bill was recently passed in Howard County.

Howard County leaders approved an emergency bill to ban detention centers in private buildings came after a third-party company received a permit to turn a building in Elkridge into a detention center.

 ICE later confirmed it has no plans to buy or open a detention center in Howard County. 

Howard County revoked the building permit, which detailed renovations to "tenant spaces, supported areas, detention facility, detainee processing and secured waiting areas," according to Executive Calvin Ball. 

"The creation of privately-owned detention facilities anywhere in our county and state raises serious concerns about health, welfare, and oversight that must be addressed," Ball said. 

The law went into effect immediately.