Maryland lawmakers push for answers about "disturbing" conditions in Baltimore ICE facility
A group of Maryland lawmakers is pushing for Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leaders to address "deeply disturbing" conditions at an ICE facility in Baltimore.
In a letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons on Friday, the lawmakers expressed their concerns about "inhumane conditions and reported violations of legal rights" in holding rooms at the George H. Fallon Federal Building.
The letter was written by U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, along with Reps. Kweisi Mfume, Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney and Johnny Olszewski.
Several of the lawmakers have visited and toured the facility in the past year amid ongoing concerns of overcrowding and lack of food, water and bed space.
ICE previously denied the allegations of inhumane conditions, and said it "remains committed to enforcing immigration laws fairly, safely and humanely."
The agency said in a statement that it complies with federal law and agency policies, and it upholds the "well-being and dignity" of those in custody.
Ongoing concerns
In the letter shared Friday, the lawmakers referred to a video that was shared on social media last month, which they said shows dozens of detainees in a small holding room.
A spokesperson for DHS previously told WJZ that the video was taken after winter weather delayed the transfer of some detainees, and said transfers would resume after the weather cleared.
"The conditions revealed in the video are deeply disturbing and necessitate more information as to how the field office and agency are enforcing our immigration laws safely and humanely," the lawmakers wrote in their letter.
"These conditions are part of a pattern of disturbing reports of prolonged detainment, overcrowding, and inhumane conditions at ICE's Baltimore Field Office," the letter continued.
Lawmakers visit Baltimore ICE facility
Since the video was shared, at least two of the lawmakers have visited the ICE facility.
In early February, Delaney inspected five holding rooms that hold up to 226 people. She called the conditions "heartbreaking and horrendous."
According to Delaney, detainees sleep on thin mats with foil blankets on concrete floors. Some of the detainees told her they were hungry and thirsty, she said after her visit.
"This whole detention center is really only meant to hold people for 12 hours and is being used to hold people for 24, 48, 72 hours or longer, depending on if they've asked for habeas corpus or if they have medical conditions or the transport planes are full," she said.
Raskin called the conditions "staggeringly overcrowded" after a visit on Thursday, Feb. 12. He said there were 134 adults and no children in the facility at the time.
"They are packed in a way that no one would want to see their family members. I hope we are going to be able to do better in facilities like this over the country," he said.
Unanswered questions
In August 2025, Van Hollen, Mfume and Elfreth visited the facility after they were denied a tour earlier in the week. They shared similar concerns about the conditions and left ICE officials with a list of questions.
In their letter Friday, the lawmakers said none of their previous questions were addressed. Their new letter included several new questions about how detainees are treated.
"To date, we have not received answers to these questions regarding ICE's policies and practices for providing food and nutrition to detainees, access to showers and hygiene supplies, family visitation policies, and a process for filing and investigating concerns regarding detention and facility conditions," the lawmakers wrote.
"This lack of communication constitutes blatant obstruction of our congressional oversight role, and hinders our ability to respond to our constituent Maryland families seeking assistance," they added.
The letter includes a list of more than 20 questions, including the average time that people are being held, what food options are provided, when families are notified of detainee transferes and a request for statistics on how many detainees have criminal convictions.
WJZ has reached out to ICE for a response to the letter.
