Prince George’s County Bans ICE Detention Centers on County Property

County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy signed Executive Order No. 9-2026 on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, creating an immediate moratorium on any proposal to use Prince George’s County property as a detention center and directing county permitting to stop processing such applications. The order designates county-run buildings, garages and parking lots as "safe spaces" and bars the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement from issuing occupancy permits to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for detention facilities.

The order defines "detention centers" as "any secure facility that requires the occupants to be held under restraint or security on a temporary basis" pending a hearing or trial, and instructs the county to post large bilingual signs in English and Spanish to mark safe spaces. County officials said the signs are expected to start going up in about two weeks; the county's PGCTV channel posted a video about the order on Feb. 20, 2026, showing remarks from the signing and noting the signage timeline.

Braveboy framed the move as community protection. "We are taking decisive action to protect our diversity and those residents who chose to call America and Prince George’s County home," she said. "We are establishing that county buildings, garages and parking lots are safe spaces in Prince George’s County - safe from ICE operations and other federal interventions that disrupt the quality of life for people in Prince George’s County." U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, who joined Braveboy at the signing, added, "I think it's critical for us to understand that we've got to fight back and we've got to win," and warned "the target has already been on our back, since Jan. 20 of last year."

Prince George’s County Council members moved in parallel by proposing three emergency bills this week to regulate ICE activity on county property, including a prohibition on ICE entering county property and non-public areas without a judicial warrant and a ban on law enforcement wearing facial coverings while working; a third emergency measure was referenced but not detailed. The council chair's name appears with conflicting spellings in available records - Krystal Oriadha and Christa Oriata - and that discrepancy remains under verification.

At the state level, Gov. Wes Moore this week signed legislation that bars Maryland jurisdictions from entering into 287(g) agreements with ICE, calling the change a defense of "Constitutional rights and Constitutional policing." Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller said, "Immigrants make Maryland stronger every day, and our communities are safer when everyone feels protected and valued." The law requires eight Maryland sheriff’s offices and the Wicomico County Corrections Center to terminate existing 287(g) agreements by July 1, 2026.

The county action follows regional developments, including ICE's purchase of a Williamsport warehouse in Washington County and a recent Howard County Council rejection of a planned Elkridge detention facility. The White House issued an emailed statement criticizing local officials and blasting "dangerous, untrue smears by elected Democrats" for contributing to a "1,300% increase in assaults on ICE officers." ICE was contacted for comment.

Legal and political fights are likely next: the executive order's full text, the precise scope of the moratorium (county property versus private sites), complete wording of the bilingual signs, and the county council emergency bills all remain to be reviewed. Enforcement of the state 287(g) ban and the July 1 termination deadline will be key dates as county, state and federal actions play out.