With questions constantly lingering about the intended immigration facility in Williamsport, community members are eager to understand what this means for Washington County, and many are pushing back against its intended use altogether.
Governor Wes Moore and Congresswoman April McClain Delaney led a roundtable discussion with community leaders on Monday the 23rd at Hub City Vinyl’s venue. The apparent goal of this conference was to reach an understanding of the implications such a project imposes and find solutions.
Nearly two dozen community leaders spoke their thoughts and concerns regarding the potential immigration facility. Attendees included but were not limited to, Mayor Bill McIntyre, Chief of Police Paul Kifer, President of the Washington County NAACP and county commissioner candidate Taj Smith, head of Washington County Indivisible and county commissioner candidate Dave Williams, and Executive Director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights Michael Lukens.
The Governor and Congresswoman expressed strong concerns regarding the warehouse citing water and sewer capacities, and costs of the extensive renovations necessary for habitation. Furthermore, the pair expressed moral and ethical concerns with using a warehouse for this purpose.
“The decisions being made around it present a very real economic loss… this was intended for economic growth.” Governor Moore said to the table during the open media portion of the meeting.
Mayor of Hagerstown, Bill McIntyre spoke about the warehouse, “I expect and will demand that the federal government provide clear, verified answers regarding water supply, wastewater capacity, and utility demands for this facility.” He also claims that his office is open to city residents to express their concerns regarding the facility.
President of the Washington County NAACP Taj Smith also spoke during the open press portion, expressing ethical concerns for this facility, “here we are facing a plan to treat human beings like amazon packages.” She also spoke further to major infrastructure concerns related to this facility as previously mentioned.
Just outside the doors of Hub City Vinyl stood around a dozen protesters associated with Hagerstown Rapid Response, a local activist group fighting against the DHS facility and ICE activity in the area. One protester shared, “We’re out here because we weren’t invited in… It’s frustrating we get shut out of County Commissioners meetings and now the people supposedly on our side, are continuing to shut us out. Frustrating.”
After the open press portion of the meeting, Governor Wes Moore and Representative Delaney engaged in a closed-door discussion with the round table, allowing each community member an opportunity to share their perspectives. During the last part of this session, the governor and congressman held a closed conference allowing questions from members of the press.
Wes Moore opens this part of the meeting saying, “Once again we are watching things be done to Western Maryland and not with Western Maryland.”
One reporter asked the Governor if anyone who agreed with the facility’s projected use was included in the round table discussion. To which he replied, “I think what you’ll see in that room, that we had democrats, we had republicans in that room. There were a wide variety of opinions.”Governor Moore, Rep. hold meeting with Washington County leaders about DHS facility
With questions constantly lingering about the intended immigration facility in Williamsport, community members are eager to understand what this means for Washington County, and many are pushing back against its intended use altogether.
Governor Wes Moore and Congresswoman April McClain Delaney led a roundtable discussion with community leaders on Monday the 23rd at Hub City Vinyl’s venue. The apparent goal of this conference was to reach an understanding of the implications such a project imposes and find solutions.
Nearly two dozen community leaders spoke their thoughts and concerns regarding the potential immigration facility. Attendees included but were not limited to, Mayor Bill McIntyre, Chief of Police Paul Kifer, President of the Washington County NAACP and county commissioner candidate Taj Smith, head of Washington County Indivisible and county commissioner candidate Dave Williams, and Executive Director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights Michael Lukens.
The Governor and Congresswoman expressed strong concerns regarding the warehouse citing water and sewer capacities, and costs of the extensive renovations necessary for habitation. Furthermore, the pair expressed moral and ethical concerns with using a warehouse for this purpose.
“The decisions being made around it present a very real economic loss… this was intended for economic growth.” Governor Moore said to the table during the open media portion of the meeting.
Mayor of Hagerstown, Bill McIntyre spoke about the warehouse, “I expect and will demand that the federal government provide clear, verified answers regarding water supply, wastewater capacity, and utility demands for this facility.” He also claims that his office is open to city residents to express their concerns regarding the facility.
President of the Washington County NAACP Taj Smith also spoke during the open press portion, expressing ethical concerns for this facility, “here we are facing a plan to treat human beings like amazon packages.” She also spoke further to major infrastructure concerns related to this facility as previously mentioned.
Just outside the doors of Hub City Vinyl stood around a dozen protesters associated with Hagerstown Rapid Response, a local activist group fighting against the DHS facility and ICE activity in the area. One protester shared, “We’re out here because we weren’t invited in… It’s frustrating we get shut out of County Commissioners meetings and now the people supposedly on our side, are continuing to shut us out. Frustrating.”
After the open press portion of the meeting, Governor Wes Moore and Representative Delaney engaged in a closed-door discussion with the round table, allowing each community member an opportunity to share their perspectives. During the last part of this session, the governor and congressman held a closed conference allowing questions from members of the press.
Wes Moore opens this part of the meeting saying, “Once again we are watching things be done to Western Maryland and not with Western Maryland.”
One reporter asked the Governor if anyone who agreed with the facility’s projected use was included in the round table discussion. To which he replied, “I think what you’ll see in that room, that we had democrats, we had republicans in that room. There were a wide variety of opinions.”
