Maryland delegation, local leaders demand answers on proposed ICE Hyattsville expansion

Maryland’s federal delegation and local leaders publicly demanded answers from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Feb. 18 about a proposed expansion or lease that would place ICE personnel in or near Hyattsville. The demand centered on who approved the move, the nature of any lease or purchase, and what functions ICE personnel would carry out at the site.

Local officials in the region have already taken divergent positions on similar proposals elsewhere in the state. In Washington County, demonstrations against a planned ICE detention center near Hagerstown drew repeated protests outside the county administration building, and the Washington County commissioners unanimously passed a resolution expressing support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal immigration enforcement actions. Senator Chris Van Hollen joined a large Hagerstown protest and called the facility something that would “further fuel the Trump administration’s cruel and inhumane immigration agenda.”

Officials in Maryland also signaled legal review of related property actions. Moore then stated, “We are also working closely with our Attorney General, Anthony Brown, who is reviewing the purchase to ensure full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws.” The identity and office of Moore were not specified in the available materials, but the statement confirms state-level legal scrutiny tied to at least one property transaction.

The Hyattsville demand arrives amid a national wave of pushback against federal moves to convert warehouses into immigrant processing or detention sites. TriplePundit reports the U.S. federal government plans to spend more than $38 billion in taxpayer money to convert windowless warehouses into immigrant detention centers, a figure that has driven new urgency among local lawmakers and community groups. In Kansas City, Democratic county legislator Manny Abarca uploaded a video showing federal officers interacting with him while he inspected a potential site; the video went viral and the local city council subsequently passed a six-year moratorium on approvals for detention facilities, with one council member saying, “They need to understand that you are not going to sell out our community for short-term profit.”

Other municipalities have responded with a mix of opposition and negotiation. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt persuaded warehouse owners near a largely Latino school district to back out of a deal with DHS, saying, “I commend the owners for their decision and thank them on behalf of the people of Oklahoma City,” and urging other property owners to “exhibit the same concern for our community in the days ahead.” Nearby Detroit-area Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight said his city will oppose any planned detention center after ICE purchased a facility without informing local officials, and Michigan state Rep. Dylan Wegela posted, “Shame on the federal government for planning in secret and coming to our community without notifying anyone at the Congressional, state, or local level.”

Regional organizers have mobilized as well. A “No ICE, No Kings” protest filled a basketball court in Sellersville, Bucks County, on Presidents Day where Rev. Philip Krey said, “On this Presidents Day, we declare that these are not political issues or partisan issues.” Organizer Jane Cramer of Upper Bucks United told the crowd, “It’s very simple: no ICE, No Kings. We want people to become more involved in their local politics, because that’s how we fight back against ICE and that’s how we make change in our country. We have to start at the local level and work our way up.”

Maryland residents now face concrete governance questions tied to the Hyattsville demand: what procurement or lease documents exist, whether local governments were notified, and what inspections or staffing might follow. Maryland’s federal delegation and local leaders have asked DHS and ICE to answer those questions; will county officials schedule a public meeting where those answers can be aired and challenged? If you have seen federal activity near Hyattsville or have documents or testimony to share, what would you ask DHS and ICE at a public hearing?