Private owner of planned Elkridge ICE facility sues Howard County, elected officials

The private owner of a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Elkridge is suing Howard County, claiming officials interfered with and obstructed the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration law and open detention sites.

Genesis GSA Strategic One LLC was nearly finished retrofitting an office building at 6522 Meadowridge Road to serve as ICE’s Baltimore field office, currently located at the federal building in Hopkins Plaza, when the county abruptly canceled its building permits last month. Days later, elected leaders passed emergency legislation banning private immigrant detention in the county, sparking hundreds of residents to stage rallies in support of the measure.

The Michigan-based development company responded Wednesday with a federal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The suit names the county, its Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, department director Robert Frances, County Executive Calvin Ball and the County Council as defendants.

Attorneys with the law firm of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, which is bringing the case on behalf of Genesis, did not respond immediately to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.

The county does not comment on pending litigation, spokeswoman Safa Hira said in an email.

The suit says the county had already signed off on more than 90% of the construction before abruptly revoking permits Feb. 2 on the grounds that officials had just learned for the first time that ICE would occupy the building.

Development of the facility dates back to 2022, during President Joe Biden’s administration, federal contract and county records show. The lawsuit states the U.S. General Services Administration, which owns and manages property for the federal government, signed an “iron-clad” lease to rent the redeveloped building before Genesis purchased it in 2023 for about $4 million.

None of the building’s renderings, first submitted to the county in February 2025, mentions ICE or immigration — but they label weapons and ammunition storage, noncontact visitor booths and secured areas for detainees.

Ball said he first became aware of the project in January and alerted the public about a week later, on Jan. 31.

The complaint challenges the timeline for when the county became aware of the project as well as its justification that developers had failed to meet Maryland code requirements. The code only applies to privately operated immigration detention facilities — not facilities operated by the government or its contractors, the suit claims.

The lawsuit also takes issue with the County Council’s emergency legislation, which prohibits the issuance of permits for privately owned detention centers. Genesis’ attorneys argue the bill unconstitutionally attempts to regulate the way the federal government organizes its affairs, forcing it to own rather than lease property for certain activities.

The litigation comes at a time when federal immigration is expanding in Maryland, prompting worry that the state will face an ICE surge like that in Minneapolis. Other ICE facilities have emerged recently in Baltimore and Washington counties.

*This story may be updated. *