HAGERSTOWN – The Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to support the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and local law enforcement, drawing immediate jeers from the audience and heightening tensions over a proposed immigration detention facility near Williamsport.
The 4-0 vote came during the board’s regular meeting on Feb. 10, with Commissioners President John Barr, Vice President Jeff Cline, Randy Wagner and Randy Leatherman in favor. Commissioner Derek Harvey was absent.
The resolution expresses “full support” for DHS and ICE in maintaining public safety, upholding the rule of law and enforcing immigration laws.
It also encourages cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies and declares an intent to safeguard the nation’s borders and ensure that all persons are treated with “dignity and compassion” within the county.
At the start of the meeting, County Administrator Michelle Gordon reminded audience members holding signs to keep them low to avoid obstructing sightlines. Hearing a spectator blowing a whistle, Barr warned he would end the meeting if decorum was not maintained.
Barr read the resolution aloud, and hearing no discussion, quickly called a vote. As boos erupted from the gallery, Barr called for the room to be cleared, the livestream suspended, and the commissioners walked out of the meeting room.
The resolution does not explicitly reference the controversial ICE facility, but it arrives amid growing scrutiny of the agency’s recent purchase of a warehouse at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport. Deed records show DHS and ICE acquired the property on Jan. 16, 2026, for $102.4 million. According to federal plans reported nationally, the site is part of a broader effort to renovate industrial warehouses into detention centers capable of holding up to 80,000 immigrants nationwide, with the Williamsport facility potentially accommodating 1,500 beds.
The vote coincided with opposition from Maryland’s federal delegation. On the same morning, Rep. April McClain Delaney, a Democrat whose 6th district includes Washington County, introduced the “Keep ICE Out of Washington County, Maryland Act,” which would prohibit the use of congressionally appropriated funds for establishing or operating the facility in Williamsport or elsewhere in the county. The bill also creates a legal pathway for residents, local officials and members of Congress to challenge the project in court.
“For DHS to pursue such sweeping and dangerous plans in darkness is yet another example of the Trump administration acting without transparency, accountability, or regard for human life,” McClain Delaney said in a statement. “I recently saw for myself ICE’s horrendous treatment of detainees at its Baltimore field office, and I refuse to remain silent as they thrust a facility – similar to a private prison – upon Washington County. I will fight alongside Maryland lawmakers and community members to show up, speak out, and stand resolute in defense of all of our neighbors.”
McClain Delaney noted that ICE and DHS have refused to provide details about the facility to her office, Maryland’s congressional delegation, or Gov. Wes Moore. She also launched a constituent survey last week to gather views on the project, pledging to share the input with the commissioners.
In a joint letter sent to the commissioners on Feb. 10, McClain Delaney, along with U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both Maryland Democrats), expressed “serious concern” over the resolution and voiced “strong opposition” to converting the warehouse into a detention center.
The lawmakers argued that while immigration enforcement is a federal matter, local zoning, land use and public safety fall under county authority. They warned that the facility could pose risks to public health, strain infrastructure like roads, utilities and water systems, and overburden emergency responders and hospitals.
“Establishing such a facility in a warehouse not designed for residential confinement would pose substantial public health and safety risks,” the letter states. It also highlights humanitarian concerns, noting ICE data shows nearly three-quarters of detainees pose no risk to public safety, and raises alarms about potential abuses like lack of potable water, medical care, and sanitary conditions seen in other facilities.
The letter poses questions to the commissioners, including whether they have assessed the facility’s impact on local resources, whether they have plans to prevent human rights violations, and what steps they have taken to ensure compliance with historic preservation laws that require community input. The lawmakers urged the board to rigorously enforce zoning regulations to protect residents.
Protesters from Washington County Indivisible and others gathered Tuesday morning, continuing demonstrations that began the previous week. The group has sought answers from commissioners regarding the facility’s impact on emergency services and utilities, and whether the county could hold a public informational meeting or limit water and sewer allocations.
Commissioners have not provided public comments on the facility during meetings, and an in-person general public comment period has not been on agendas since June 2025. Residents can submit written comments or contact commissioners directly.
Nearby municipalities are also addressing the issue. Hagerstown’s mayor and City Council scheduled a Feb. 10 work session to discuss questions about the commissioners’ stance and infrastructure capacity for a 1,500-bed facility.
In Williamsport, several residents spoke against the proposal at the Feb. 9 Town Council meeting, citing threats to tourism, economic viability and the town’s historic character along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.
Williamsport Mayor Bill Green expressed frustration that the facility is being associated with Williamsport because it lies outside the town limits and noted the potential harm to business recruitment. Assistant Mayor Dennis Grove said such a facility should not be near any municipality. The town’s March 2 work session includes further discussion on the issue.
The resolution’s passage adds to debates over local involvement in federal immigration enforcement, including the Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s participation in ICE’s 287(g) program, which authorizes ICE to hold detainees for up to 48 hours at the county jail. Maryland lawmakers recently passed emergency bills to ban such agreements statewide, pending final approval and Gov. Moore’s signature.
An ICE spokesperson previously stated that the facilities would meet detention standards and support law enforcement efforts to keep Americans safe, and that no new centers had been announced as of late January.
