Governor Moore and Congresswoman McClain Delaney Hear Community Concerns Over Planned ICE Detention Warehouse in Washington County

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore and Congresswoman April McClain Delaney convened a roundtable with two dozen faith leaders, local officials and business owners, and representatives of nonprofit organizations in Washington County to hear their perspectives on the Trump Administration’s purchase and planned development and operation of a 1,500-bed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention warehouse near Williamsport.

“This detention warehouse is not making our community safer; it is, in fact, a significant loss of economic opportunity for Western Maryland and for our entire state,” said Gov. Moore. “This property was intended for commercial distribution, supporting thousands of jobs and millions in capital investment. Instead, we are seeing hundreds of millions poured into a project that will burden local infrastructure while the Trump Administration continues to deny our people disaster assistance after historic floods. We take great pride in our close collaboration between local, State, and federal entities, but DHS has demonstrated a lack of transparency inside this process that is simply unacceptable.”

“Washington County is a community where neighbors look out for one another. Today, however, we find ourselves in the shadow of an ICE warehouse that does not reflect our values and lawlessly undermines our constitutional and civic rights,” said Congresswoman April McClain Delaney. “We are deeply frustrated that the Trump Administration has failed to meet even the most basic standard of communication with local residents with no accountability for the impacts on local communities, and we can not allow our voices to go unheard. I’m grateful to the Governor for joining me at this roundtable to ensure that community leaders and businesses can share their perspectives—input that will be critical in shaping our fight ahead to block this warehouse and leave no Marylander behind."

In February, Governor Moore sent a letter - PDF - 656.01 KB to then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem outlining his concerns with the department’s purchase of the Washington County facility. The governor specified three key issues: the property's conversion from a commercial distribution site—which was meant to support thousands of jobs—to a detention facility, the troubling lack of transparency from the Trump Administration in the acquisition process, and grave concerns about a facility that could deny basic human needs and dignity.

Governor Moore also directed state agencies to assess all available actions to protect the community’s infrastructure and public safety, including a review of permitting requirements; water and sewer demands; hazardous waste disposal; and the availability of emergency medical services.

In February, Attorney General Anthony Brown filed suit to stop the Trump Administration’s unlawful construction of the massive immigration detention center without the required environmental review, community participation, or state consultation. Construction on the project has been halted since March 11, when the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a temporary restraining order, pausing any construction or retrofitting of the warehouse. The District Court has since extended the temporary restraining order until April 16, to allow time to consider the State’s motion for preliminary injunction, which asks the court to enjoin the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement from constructing, retrofitting or operating the warehouse pending the outcome of the litigation.

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