Doctors Warn ICE Facility Could Spark a Public Health Crisis Across Hagerstown as Protests Continue

With doctors sounding the alarm on community-wide health risks, residents are escalating pressure on county leaders

Hagerstown Rapid Response and Washington County Indivisible are mobilizing community members to gather tomorrow outside the Washington County Board of County Commissioners meeting in protest of the proposed ICE detention facility near Hagerstown. The action comes amid urgent warnings from Washington County doctors that the facility could trigger a local public health crisis.

The protest will take place at 100 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD at 8:45 AM on Tuesday, March 31. Organizers note that these demonstrations are part of an ongoing effort, with community members protesting weekly outside Washington County Commissioners meetings to demand answers and accountability.

The demonstration follows growing concern from local medical professionals, including Dr. Jennifer Janus, author of a widely circulated letter - signed by more than 50 western Maryland health care professionals - raising alarm about the health risks posed by the facility. This letter will be read aloud by Dr. Kate Sugarman, MD, who joins the weekly protests in Hagerstown.

That letter - part of a broader effort by Washington County healthcare providers - frames the proposed detention center not as a political issue, but as a public health threat.

According to the letter and supporting statements from local clinicians, conditions commonly reported in ICE detention facilities - including overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to medical care - create environments where infectious diseases can spread rapidly and chronic conditions can worsen. The letter highlights issues such as “overflowing toilets with floors flooded with feces and urine-contaminated water” and DHS itself reporting in 2024, that in a majority of detention facilities they “found instances of non-compliance with medical care standards, like dental and chronic care, and medical staffing.” SInce that DHS report was released, the number of detainees in ICE custody has nearly doubled and conditions have worsened.

“Given that the warehouse in Williamsport is meant for packages - not people - there is great potential for conditions there to be even worse,” said Dr. Jennifer Janus, a physician from Hagerstown and author of the letter. ”Impacts will be felt not only by the detainees, but also facility employees and the community at large. As a primary care physician and pediatrician, I want the public to understand the negative health impacts such a facility will inevitably create.”

The warning comes as local providers describe detention settings as a “public health risk” where disease outbreaks - including influenza, COVID-19, and tuberculosis - can spread quickly in crowded, poorly resourced environments.

For Dr. Kate Sugarman, a family physician and leader of Doctors for Camp Closure, and also a key member of Maryland Coalition to Stop the Camps, these risks aren’t abstract - they’re already unfolding.

“People are continuing to die while in ICE custody because ICE is denying detainees the medical care they need in order to live,” she said. Sugarman reviews ICE medical records for detained individuals, documenting what she describes as a pattern of neglect. “I see how ICE is denying them the medical care that they are begging for. ICE has admitted that they are no longer paying for specialty medical care.”

In other words, even when serious conditions are identified, treatment may not follow.

Health experts also emphasize that these risks extend beyond the facility itself. Staff, emergency responders, and hospital systems are all part of the same ecosystem, meaning the impact of a large-scale detention center could ripple across Washington County’s already strained healthcare infrastructure.

At the same time, organizers say the public has been left in the dark about critical details surrounding the project. Residents and advocates have repeatedly called for transparency regarding health safeguards, emergency preparedness, and oversight - but say those answers have not been provided.

The protest reflects both concerns: the health consequences of the facility itself and the lack of clear communication from local government about how those risks will be addressed.

“When the medical community says ‘this is dangerous,’ ignoring them isn’t leadership - it’s negligence,” said Kate Rader of Washington County Indivisible.

Recent reporting has also highlighted growing opposition from community groups and elected officials, with calls for greater scrutiny of the facility’s potential impacts on public health, infrastructure, and emergency services.

“Doctors in this community are raising the alarm based on what they see every day in their work,” said Patrick Dattilio, founder of Hagerstown Rapid Response. “This isn’t theoretical. This is about real-world health consequences - for detainees, for workers, and for everyone who lives here.”

The demonstration is expected to draw residents, healthcare providers, and advocates demanding transparency, accountability, and a full public understanding of the health implications tied to the proposed detention center.

In addition, Washington County Indivisible will continue to gather signatures for their Citizens’ Resolution. This citizens’ resolution is a formal public statement condemning the Washington County Board of County Commissioners for supporting the proposed ICE detention facility. At its core, it argues that DHS and ICE have a documented record of abuse, deaths in custody, poor medical care, and unconstitutional conduct, and that by publicly backing the project, the County Commissioners are morally and politically responsible for what follows.

The resolution contends that by allowing the warehouse conversion to move forward and failing to answer residents’ concerns, the commissioners are neglecting their duty to represent and protect the community. It then formally declares that the citizens signing the resolution oppose the detention facility and intend to hold local officials accountable for their inaction, lack of transparency, and complicity.

Join us Tuesday, at 8:45 AM at 100 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD!