Hagerstown, Md. (DG) – A federal judge has temporarily paused work on a proposed immigration detention facility in Washington County, but supporters say the project could bring significant economic benefits to the region.
The court granted a temporary restraining order halting construction and renovations at a large warehouse near Williamsport that the federal government plans to convert into an ICE detention and processing center. The pause could last up to 14 days while a lawsuit from Maryland’s attorney general moves forward.
The facility is expected to hold up to 1,500 detainees and would be built inside an 825-thousand-square-foot warehouse. Federal officials have already awarded a $113 million contract to renovate the site, with work originally scheduled to start earlier this month and finish by early May.
Supporters of the project say the detention center could create more than a thousand jobs and generate tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue for the area. Federal officials also say expanding detention space is part of efforts to remove people accused of crimes from U.S. communities.
For now, construction remains on hold while the federal court considers the state’s legal challenge to the project.
By: Dianah Gibson
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