A federal judge has extended a pause on converting a massive warehouse in Maryland into an immigrant detention facility, delivering a setback to the Trump administration's plans to house detainees in converted industrial buildings across the US.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) purchased the 825,000 sq ft building near Hagerstown in January for $102.4 million. It was intended to hold between 500 and 1,500 detainees. However, the project faced fierce local opposition and a lawsuit from Maryland's attorney general, who argued that the federal government failed to conduct required environmental reviews.
The lawsuit claimed the building sits in a flood plain and that DHS did not seek public comment until more than a month after the purchase. It also said Immigration and Customs Enforcement awarded a $113 million renovation contract the day after the public comment period closed, with work due for completion by 4 May.
After issuing a temporary restraining order, the judge agreed to a preliminary injunction on Wednesday, allowing only limited work such as fencing and heating and cooling installations until the case is resolved.
DHS said it strongly disagreed, stating: “This isn’t about the environment. It’s about trying to stop President Trump from making America safe.” Maryland Governor Wes Moore called the injunction a “major and welcome step forward”, while Attorney General Anthony Brown said it proved “no one, not even the federal government, is above the law.”
State delegate Matthew Schindler said the plan was “outpacing accountability”, and activist Kyle McCarthy of Hagerstown Rapid Response said the county had become “ground zero for all these warehouse fights”, offering a blueprint for other communities to resist similar projects.
