Maryland Sues Feds Over Planned ICE Detention Center

State claims federal government purchased Hagerstown warehouse without environmental review or public input

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The state of Maryland is suing the federal government in an attempt to stop U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from building a new detention facility in Hagerstown. Attorney General Anthony Brown alleges the Trump administration purchased a 54-acre warehouse near Williamsport without consulting the state or conducting the required environmental review, spending over $100 million in federal funds.

Why it matters

This lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges by Maryland's attorney general against the Trump administration's immigration policies. The proposed ICE detention center has faced local opposition, but Washington County lawmakers recently approved a resolution supporting the federal government's plans, setting up a clash between state and local authorities.

The details

According to the state's lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security purchased the warehouse facility without giving Maryland or local residents any input or opportunity to review the potential environmental impact. Attorney General Brown claims the Trump administration is "breaking the law" in its pursuit of an "extreme immigration agenda" by moving forward with the detention center plans.

  • On Monday, February 23, 2026, Attorney General Anthony Brown announced the lawsuit against the federal government.
  • In recent months, Washington County lawmakers approved a resolution supporting ICE's purchase of the Hagerstown warehouse property.

The players

Anthony Brown

The Attorney General of Maryland who is leading the lawsuit against the federal government over the planned ICE detention center.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that purchased the 54-acre warehouse in Hagerstown, Maryland, with plans to convert it into an immigration detention facility.

Washington County Lawmakers

Local officials in Maryland who recently approved a resolution supporting ICE's purchase of the warehouse property for the detention center, despite opposition from the state.

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What they’re saying

“The Trump Administration will stop at nothing to pursue its extreme immigration agenda – including breaking the law.”

— Anthony Brown, Attorney General of Maryland (wmar2news.com)

“DHS purchased this facility while keeping the State and the public in the dark, spending more than $100 million in federal taxpayer dollars without performing the required environmental review and without giving Maryland or Marylanders any voice in the process.”

— Anthony Brown, Attorney General of Maryland (wmar2news.com)

What’s next

The judge presiding over the lawsuit will determine whether to issue an injunction to halt the federal government's plans for the ICE detention center while the case proceeds.

The takeaway

This legal battle over the proposed ICE detention facility in Hagerstown highlights the ongoing tensions between the state of Maryland and the Trump administration's immigration enforcement agenda, with the state challenging the federal government's actions on environmental and transparency grounds.