State Calls ICE’s Detention Center Plans ‘Absurd,’ Urges Court to Halt Construction

Maryland is demanding a federal judge extend an injunction blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) rapid conversion of an 825,000-square-foot warehouse near Williamsport into a sprawling immigration detention center. The state’s lawsuit alleges ICE has sidestepped critical environmental and procedural reviews, moving forward in near secrecy on a project that could house up to 1,500 detainees.

U.S. District Judge Brendan Hurson initially halted construction last month, citing concerns that ICE failed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). That injunction was extended through April 17, with a ruling expected soon on whether to impose a longer-term block.

Maryland’s filing paints a picture of an agency racing ahead without transparency or accountability. ICE purchased the warehouse for $102 million in January and swiftly awarded a $113 million contract to retrofit the site. Yet the state says ICE has not held public hearings or engaged local officials, keeping residents and regulators in the dark.

The state warns that the detention center would overwhelm Williamsport’s water and sewer systems, strain local roads, and endanger nearby waterways home to protected species. Maryland calls ICE’s repeated downplaying of the project’s scope “absurd,” emphasizing that a warehouse for goods is not remotely comparable to a detention facility for people.

ICE counters that only 542 detainees will be housed initially and claims it has completed the necessary environmental reviews for that phase. The agency insists traffic and infrastructure impacts will be minimal and promises more thorough studies if the facility expands.

But Maryland rejects these assurances, arguing ICE is shifting goalposts to avoid scrutiny. The state fears construction could start “at any moment, without any warning,” leading to irreversible harm before courts can intervene.

Judge Hurson’s initial injunction highlighted the likelihood that Maryland’s claims of inadequate environmental review have merit. Now, with the fate of the Williamsport detention center hanging in the balance, the court faces a critical test of whether to hold ICE accountable or let the agency bulldoze ahead unchecked.

This case is yet another example of ICE’s pattern of operating in the shadows, prioritizing expansion of the for-profit detention system over community safety, environmental protection, and democratic oversight. We will be watching closely as this fight unfolds.