BALTIMORE, Md. – A federal court order blocking renovation and use of a Williamsport, Maryland, warehouse to detain immigrants remains in place after a court hearing regarding on Wednesday, April 15. Along with a series of temporary restraining orders which expired April 13,
Maryland’s Attorney General, Anthony Brown filed a lawsuit against DHS ordering a halt to the facility’s planned use.
Political action groups from Hagerstown, and various areas of Maryland arrived at the courthouse at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning. Not only were they protesting the DHS facility but manifesting a favorable outcome of the hearing.
Turnouts for the protest alone were easily in the hundreds, with activists from Frederick, Baltimore and Queen Anne’s counties picketing with the Hagerstown groups. The first hour consisted of marches and speeches. At 10 a.m., when the hearing began, dozens entered the courtroom to listen into arguments from the state and justice department.
Attorney for the state, Steven Goldstein, argued the facility fails to meet Natiohnal Environmental Policy Act standards and that regardless if the facility houses 542, or 1,500 detainees, these issues remain deeply consequential. Goldstein expressed the facility would cause irreparable harm to surrounding ecosystems and wildlife, infrastructure such as water and sewer systems, and potentially public health.
On the other hand, attorneys Sean Duffy and Hayley Carpenter for the Department of Justice defense argued that while the facility has undergone one environmental review, another one will be conducted prior to housing detainees. The DOJ attorneys also claimed that an inability to continue renovations in order to hold detainees will result in fewer arrests being made by ICE in Maryland.
Ultimately, Judge Hurson found the state met requirements for a preliminary injunction, prohibiting renovations to the warehouse and yet again delaying this detention center. Hurson in closing statements claimed the state would suffer irreparable harm, “in the absence of preliminary injunctive relief”.
Judge Hurson also clarified this order does not extend to ‘”facial” upgrades such as security cameras, lights and HVAC repairs.
