Private owner of planned Howard County ICE facility sues county
The private family-owned company that rented out an Elkridge, Maryland, building to the federal government to be partially used as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility is suing Howard County.
The owner, listed on the claim as Genesis GSA Strategic One LLC, says that county officials interfered with and obstructed the federal government's authority to enforce immigration law and open detention sites.
What the lawsuit alleges
The lawsuit claims that Genesis was given a contract by the Biden administration in 2023 to renovate and rent the property to the federal government, but it had first been discussed in 2022.
The complaint states that Howard County knew about the contract then and had approved all permits allowing the facility.
The lawsuit alleges that the county signed off on more than 90% of the construction before abruptly revoking permits last month because officials learned ICE would occupy the building.
Howard County's council followed by passing an emergency bill to ban private immigration detention centers in the county.
An attorney representing Genesis alleges the county is not only interfering with federal government business but is also costing them thousands of dollars each day the project isn't finished.
Michael Edeny, an attorney representing Genesis, said the company has already spent more than $20 million retrofitting the property to the contract's specifications.
"The county knew about this from the very beginning," Edeny said. "They knew about it with the Biden administration. They knew about it when they approved the plans and permits and all the details for it."
Temporary processing facility
Edeny also said the facility, while facility does have a holding area, is mainly office spaces. The holding area, he said, is not meant for overnight holding, only short-term detaining.
"It's not a jail," Edeny said. "It's a temporary, very temporary processing facility. So when (Howard County) says we're running a privately-operated jail, that's not true. We're not running anything. We're building something to federal government specifications."
Howard County officials said they do not comment on pending litigation.
Howard County laws restrict private detention facilities
In early February, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball signed two emergency bills into law aimed at restricting ICE access in the county.
One of those bills was to ban private detention centers, which came after a third-party company received a permit to turn a building in the 6500 block of Meadowridge Road in Elkridge into a detention center.
Howard County inspected the building and listed concerns after learning that ICE had purchased a warehouse near Hagerstown, Maryland, which will be used as a detention facility.
ICE told WJZ that it has no plans to purchase or open a detention center in Howard County.
The county revoked the building permit, which detailed renovations to "tenant spaces, supported areas, detention facility, detainee processing and secured waiting areas," according to 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.
