Above photo: Aaron Lennox.
Washington County Commissioners Back ICE’s 1,500-Bed Detention Facility Near Hagerstown.
We Showed Up.
Maryland – On February 10, the Washington County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to support the Department of Homeland Security and ICE’s planned detention facility at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport, just outside Hagerstown, Maryland.
The vote took less than 30 minutes, but the consequences could last decades. And we were there.
In less than two weeks – and without meaningful public input – commissioners moved to formally endorse the operation.
On February 9, a revised agenda was released signaling their intent to vote in support of DHS/ICE. We had less than 24 hours to respond.
So we organized.
We Mobilized Overnight
By the morning of February 10, we gathered outside the BOCC office building – parents, workers, faith leaders, students, and neighbors standing together in protest of the proposed ICE detention center.
Only 20 members of the public were permitted inside the 9:00 a.m. meeting, so more than 100 of us remained outside.
The limited access was symbolic of a larger pattern: decisions with enormous consequences being pushed forward without real public participation.
The Vote – And the Moment It Broke
When the commissioners ended the meeting early after voting unanimously to support ICE, the peaceful protesters inside the chamber responded with boos and chants of “Cowards!” and “Enjoy your last term!”
We watched as Board President John F. Barr instructed the videographer to cut the livestream feed and the commissioners exited through a rear door while directing staff to clear the room.
When those inside rejoined us outside, our voices were already rising: “VOTE THEM OUT!”
Why We Are Alarmed
Our opposition is not abstract. It is grounded in real concerns.
We are deeply troubled that:
- DHS’s outright purchase of the warehouse may have been designed to circumvent Maryland’s 2021 Dignity Not Detention Act.
- Converting a major logistics warehouse into a detention center removes opportunities for sustainable economic growth and private-sector jobs.
- A 1,500-bed detention facility will strain water and sewage systems already approaching capacity.
- ICE has a documented history of civil rights violations, wrongful detentions, and accountability failures.
Washington County is home to a growing Hispanic community – nearly one in ten residents. We refuse to accept a future in which a federal detention center looms over our neighbors.
This was not a technical vote. It was a values statement. And now we know exactly where our commissioners stand.
This Is Not the End
February 10th was not closure. It was ignition and we will continue organizing. We will continue showing up. We will continue demanding transparency, accountability, and leadership that reflects the values of the people who live here.
If we are locked out of the room, we will gather outside it. If our voices are cut from the livestream, we will amplify them in the streets. And when the time comes, we will remember and we will VOTE THEM OUT!
