Maryland AG Seeks to Halt Construction of Washington County ICE Facility

Attorney General files emergency motion to stop conversion of warehouse into immigration detention center

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Maryland's Attorney General Anthony Brown has filed an emergency motion to halt the construction of an ICE detention facility in Washington County. Brown is seeking a court order to stop the conversion of a warehouse into an immigration enforcement detention center, citing concerns over the facility's impact on Maryland's waterways, protected species, and local communities.

Why it matters

The planned ICE detention facility has faced opposition from state and local officials who are concerned about the environmental and community impacts. This legal action by the Attorney General represents an escalation of the state's efforts to block the facility's construction.

The details

Brown is asking the court to halt construction on the warehouse for 14 days while the lawsuit plays out. Maryland sued the Department of Homeland Security last month to prevent converting the warehouse into an ICE facility. The Washington County Board of Commissioners had previously adopted a resolution in support of the DHS and ICE plans.

  • On Feb. 6, the governor wrote a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem directing state agencies to review the plans.
  • On Tuesday, Attorney General Brown filed the emergency motion to halt construction.

The players

Anthony Brown

The Attorney General of Maryland who filed the emergency motion to stop construction of the ICE detention facility.

Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that has plans to open and operate the immigration detention center in Washington County.

Washington County Board of Commissioners

The local government body that previously adopted a resolution in support of the DHS and ICE plans for the detention facility.

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What they’re saying

“Federal immigration authorities are barreling past their legal obligations in an effort to build an immigration detention facility as quickly as they can. Once construction begins, the damage to Maryland's waterways, protected species, and communities cannot be undone. We are asking the court to intervene now to stop this unlawful construction, before DHS and ICE's disregard for the law causes irreversible harm.”

— Anthony Brown, Maryland Attorney General (98online.com)

What’s next

The judge will decide in the next 14 days whether to grant the Attorney General's request to halt construction of the ICE detention facility while the lawsuit proceeds.

The takeaway

This legal battle over the planned ICE detention center highlights the ongoing tensions between state and federal authorities over immigration enforcement policies, as well as concerns about the environmental and community impacts of such facilities.