Judge changes maximum capacity for Baltimore ICE holding rooms from 226 to 55
A group of Maryland lawmakers made an unannounced visit to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Baltimore Monday to conduct oversight of conditions and press for answers on several issues.
Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, along with Reps. Kweisi Mfume, Glenn Ivey and Johnny Olszewski said in a news conference after the visit that no one was present in the facility.
The lawmakers said their visit came days after a federal judge's ruling changed the maximum number of people that can be held at the facility from 226 to 55.
Their latest visit also comes after the group's allegations of a Legionella outbreak, along with previous claims of overcrowding and "unsafe" conditions for detainees.
ICE has previously denied the allegations of inhumane conditions, saying the agency "remains committed to enforcing immigration laws fairly, safely and humanely."
Change in Baltimore ICE office capacity
According to Van Hollen, a judge's order on Friday changed the way that ICE can conduct operations at the facility. The ruling dictates that ICE can hold a maximum of 55 people in its five holding rooms.
Prior to the judge's order, the facility was allowed to hold nearly 226 people, Van Hollen said. He noted that one of the rooms had a sign saying the maximum capacity was 70 people.
"We believe they exceeded even that at some points in time," he added.
Van Hollen said the judge's ruling also requires ICE Baltimore to conduct medical screenings within 12 hours of a detainee being brought in.
Despite the changes outlined by the judge's decision, the lawmakers still shared concerns about the conditions of the facility, at some point comparing the holding rooms to the cells in animal shelters.
"I am disgusted by what I just saw," said Rep. Ivey. "I have been in jails as a prosecutor, as a defense lawyer... I've never seen anything like that."
"Concrete floors, concrete benches, one toilet," Ivey continued. "It's shocking. It's un-American. It's illegal."
WJZ has reached out to ICE for comment.
Alleged Legionella outbreak
Last week, Maryland leaders sent a letter to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to raise concerns about an alleged outbreak of Legionella bacteria at the George H. Fallon Federal Building downtown.
The lawmakers claimed that the presence of Legionella was discovered in November 2025, and that the bacteria was still present in the water system.
In the letter, the lawmakers called for the GSA to take immediate action to address the alleged outbreak.
"The presence of these bacteria, and the lack of clear direction from GSA, poses a serious health and safety threat for all users of the Fallon Building."
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for ICE said detainees are given bottled water.
"ICE remains committed to always upholding the safety and well-being of all detainees in custody," the agency said in a statement.
Concerns about ICE facility conditions
The lawmakers have visited and toured the Baltimore ICE facility several times in the past year, raising concerns about conditions in holding rooms and overcrowding.
In February, the group of lawmakers wrote to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), calling conditions at the facility "disturbing." It came after a video shared on social media showed dozens of detainees in a small holding room.
DHS said the video was taken after a winter storm delayed the transfer of some detainees.
"These conditions are part of a pattern of disturbing reports of prolonged detainment, overcrowding, and inhumane conditions at ICE's Baltimore Field Office," the lawmakers wrote.
On several occasions, the lawmakers said they sent questions to ICE and DHS about operations and holding room conditions at the Baltimore facility, but said they did not receive answers.
