Private owner of planned Howard County ICE facility sues county

The private owner of a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Elkridge, Maryland, is suing Howard County and elected officials.

The owner, listed on the claim as Genesis GSA Strategic One LLC, county officials interfered with and obstructed the federal government's authority to enforce immigration law and open detention sites.

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 then passed an emergency bill to ban private immigration detention centers in the county.

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 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.