A federal judge has ordered a temporary pause on construction of a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Maryland after the state challenged the project in court.
The ruling halts work on the planned facility while the legal case moves forward.
Judge Orders Temporary Halt
U.S. District Judge Brendan Hurson issued a temporary restraining order stopping construction on the proposed detention center in Washington County, Maryland. The facility was planned as part of a federal effort to expand immigration detention capacity by converting large warehouses into holding centers.
The project involved converting a roughly 54-acre warehouse site into a detention facility capable of holding up to 1,500 migrants facing deportation proceedings. The plan was estimated to cost around $100 million.
The court order immediately blocks further construction while the judge considers the legal challenge filed by Maryland officials.
Maryland’s Legal Challenge
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown filed the lawsuit arguing that the Trump administration moved forward with the project without completing required environmental reviews or allowing adequate public input. The lawsuit claims the federal government failed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to evaluate environmental impacts before undertaking major projects.
Judge Hurson said the state had shown a strong likelihood that the government did not meet those environmental review requirements before beginning construction. The ruling allows the court time to examine the legal issues raised in the case.
Maryland officials described the decision as an important step toward ensuring federal agencies follow environmental and procedural laws when planning large detention facilities.
Concerns Over Detention Expansion
The proposed facility has also faced criticism from advocacy groups who argue that expanding detention capacity could worsen conditions for immigrants in federal custody. Some advocates say the rapid expansion of detention centers may lead to overcrowding or inadequate infrastructure if projects move forward without full planning and oversight.
Federal officials, however, have argued that additional detention space is necessary to manage increasing immigration enforcement and deportation proceedings.
Looking Ahead
The temporary restraining order does not permanently cancel the project, but it prevents construction from continuing while the court reviews Maryland’s lawsuit. The outcome of the case could determine whether the federal government must conduct additional environmental reviews before proceeding with the detention facility.
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Resources
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/03/11/ice-warehouse-detention-center-lawsuit/
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