Bill introduced in Congress could prevent ICE from opening detention center in Maryland

A bill introduced in Congress could prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from opening a detention center in Washington County, Maryland, Rep. April McClain Delaney announced Tuesday. 

The Keep ICE Out of Washington County, Maryland Act would prohibit the use of congressionally-appropriated funds for a detention center project near Hagerstown. It would also allow residents, officials and congressmembers to challenge the development of the facility in court. 

Currently, legal challenges are not possible as the federal government already purchased the warehouse, and federal policies prevent local or state-level challenges. 

Last week, ICE confirmed that it purchased a warehouse at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport that it intends to use as an immigration detention facility.

"These will not be warehouses — they will be very well-structured detention facilities meeting our regular detention standards," an ICE spokesperson said.

 According to a letter sent by a group of Maryland lawmakers, including Rep. Delaney, the facility will hold about 1,500 people.

Effort to block ICE detention center in Maryland

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Delaney, who said that immigration detention centers negatively impact housing, infrastructure and local services in the communities where they operate. 

She claims in the bill that ICE detention centers across the country are "inhumane and fall far short of our values as Americans."  It also states that land planning and community development should be local concerns. 

"Federal actions should respect community input and local priorities," the bill reads. 

Under the bill, Washington County residents as well as local and state government officials would be able to challenge the development of the immigration detention center in court. The Maryland District Court would be able to grant an injunction or prohibit the project development.

WJZ has reached out to ICE for a comment on this legislation. 

Maryland lawmakers raise concerns 

The effort to block an ICE facility from opening in Washington County comes just after the county's Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to support ICE and the Department of Homeland Security's enforcement efforts. 

The measure, which went into effect immediately after being passed on Tuesday, Feb. 10, declares the board's support for ICE and DHS efforts, including the detention center. 

State leaders raised concerns about the board's decision and the impact of the detention center on the Washington County community. 

In a letter sent to the board, Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Rep. Delaney raised questions about how the commissioners have prepared for the facility. 

"Establishing such a facility in a warehouse not designed for residential confinement would pose substantial public health and safety risks and place added strain on local hospitals, emergency responders, and already stressed infrastructure, including roads, utilities, and water systems," the letter read.

The lawmakers also raised concerns about possible human rights violations that could occur in the facility, especially after similar allegations were made about an ICE facility in Baltimore.

"I recently saw for myself ICE's horrendous treatment of detainees at its Baltimore field office, and I refuse to remain silent as they thrust a facility — similar to a private prison — upon Washington County," Rep. Delaney said in a statement.

WJZ has reached out to the Washington County Board of Commissioners for a response to the lawmakers' concerns.