Washington County Mobilizes as DHS Reveals Major Expansion Plans for Proposed ICE Detention Warehouse

As residents prepare for Tuesday’s protest, federal documents continue raising concerns about the scale, infrastructure demands, and environmental impacts of the proposed ICE warehouse in Williamsport

For months, we at Hagerstown Rapid Response and Washington County Indivisible have warned that the proposed ICE detention facility in Williamsport would bring massive environmental, infrastructure, and public accountability concerns to Washington County. Now, newly released DHS documents are confirming just how extensive this project really is.

In a recently released federal notice, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it is beginning a formal Environmental Assessment process for the proposed ICE detention facility at the massive 825,000-square-foot warehouse in Williamsport, Maryland.

The announcement contains major new details about the scale of the project and the infrastructure required to support it.

Among the most alarming revelations:

• DHS invites public comments on environmental conditions surrounding the project.

• ICE has officially begun the Section 106 process, the federal historic preservation review process required when projects may impact historic or cultural resources.

• The warehouse will be designed to accommodate up to 1,500 people, which is fascinating, considering in April, DHS argued the facility would only hold 542.

• DHS plans to install a massive 750,000-gallon water storage tank onsite.

• The project will require extensive sewer and utility modifications, including potential expansion of off-site wastewater infrastructure.

• DHS also confirmed the project involves floodplain review procedures under federal environmental rules.

After months of legal fights, public pressure, and growing scrutiny, DHS is now acknowledging many of the environmental and infrastructure concerns residents have been raising since this project was first announced. DHS is describing a large-scale detention operation that will require major infrastructure upgrades, expanded utilities, new security installations, and long-term impacts on Washington County.

The plans described by DHS include perimeter security fencing, guard shacks, new generators, telecom infrastructure, secure recreation yards, cafeterias, medical rooms, and even an indoor firing range for staff.

From the very beginning, residents throughout Washington County have raised serious concerns about wastewater capacity, floodplain risks, environmental impacts, public health consequences, strain on emergency services, and the long-term effects this facility could have on our community. Now DHS itself is acknowledging many of those same concerns in federal documents.

And communities across the country are quickly learning what can happen when ICE rapidly expands detention facilities with little transparency or local accountability.

Just look at Delaney Hall in New Jersey. That facility has become the center of mounting protests, lawsuits, community outrage, allegations of unsafe conditions, and escalating conflict between local officials, advocates, and federal immigration authorities. Across the country, warehouse-style detention expansion is raising growing concerns about human rights abuses, medical neglect, environmental impacts, and the rapid privatization of immigration detention infrastructure.

We are fighting now because we refuse to allow Washington County to become the next national example of what happens when federal agencies attempt to force through massive detention projects without public trust or public consent.

That is why we are calling on residents from across Maryland and the surrounding region to join us on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM outside the Washington County Commissioners building in Hagerstown.

This rally will mark one full year without public comment at County Commissioners meetings while residents continue demanding transparency and accountability surrounding the proposed ICE warehouse.

Protest Details

What: Rally opposing the proposed ICE detention facility in Williamsport and marking one year without public comment at County Commissioners meetings

When: Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM

Where: 100 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD

Hosted By: Hagerstown Rapid Response and Washington County Indivisible

No community should be forced to accept a massive ICE detention complex without transparency, accountability, or public input.

Washington County deserves better.

And together, we can stop the ICE warehouse.