HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — On a recent day in Washington County, Maryland, a county commission meeting focusing on ordinary matters such as the solid waste budget was interrupted by loud protests. Activists outside the meeting chanted "Stop ICE!" in response to the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) recent acquisition of an 825,000-square-foot building for the purpose of converting warehouses into immigrant detention facilities across the United States.
Patrick Dattilio, the founder of the anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) organization Hagerstown Rapid Response, criticized the facility's intended use, stating, "This is a facility built for packages, not people." The DHS's initiative, which involves a hefty investment of $1.074 billion for a total of 11 warehouses, is under scrutiny as community pushback intensifies. While Washington County officials expressed their support for ICE, they faced significant opposition from local residents during their Feb. 10 meeting.
The county commissioners’ declaration of "unwavering support" for DHS and ICE was met with boos and hostility from the public. The proclamation was tied to the county's demands for infrastructure upgrades worth hundreds of millions of dollars, which they communicated to the office of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Despite receiving a lucrative contract to renovate the building for up to 1,500 detainees, ICE's plans have been temporarily stalled due to ongoing legal issues stemming from a lawsuit filed by Maryland's attorney general. A court hearing is set for April 15, which may provide additional clarity on the project's future.
Residents in Washington County are frustrated not only by their moral objections to the facility but also by the fact that they were kept in the dark about the acquisition. Many feel disenfranchised, as highlighted by local resident Carroll Sager, who expressed a lack of community voice in the decision-making process. The presence of sheriff’s deputies and crime scene tape served to further illustrate the tension surrounding the proposed detention center.
Opposition to similar DHS projects has surfaced nationwide, including a New Jersey lawsuit citing insufficient communication and a Michigan lawsuit questioning the lack of alternative detention options such as empty state prisons. Some local governments, like those in Salt Lake City and Pennsylvania, have threatened to limit water supplies to the newly purchased warehouses, and Social Circle, Georgia, has even placed a lock on the water meter at one location.
Concerns about the financial aspects of these warehouse purchases have also bubbled to the surface. Reports indicate that DHS paid considerably more than the assessed values for several properties, raising eyebrows among both residents and financial analysts. During his confirmation hearing, Secretary Mullin avoided committing to continuing Noem's policies regarding the warehouses, instead asserting the importance of being good partners with communities.
In the wake of these controversies, President Donald Trump’s administration has paused the acquisition of new warehouses and is conducting a thorough review of all contracts signed under Noem's tenure. A recent court filing indicated that ICE is deliberating on the scope and plans for the Washington County facility.
Originally intended to serve as an ICE processing center for recently arrested immigrants, the facility's future remains uncertain. Local activists and residents continue to express concerns about the implications of such a center in their community, with some considering relocation out of fear and discontent regarding the new direction their county is heading.
For Nica Sutch, a long-time resident of the area, the prospect of the warehouse being converted into an ICE facility has forced her to reconsider her future in Washington County after nearly three decades of calling it home. "I love everything. This has been my home for 28 years," she shared while contemplating the possible move.
