A federal judge extended a moratorium Wednesday on the switch Massive Maryland warehouse To an immigration processing facility in a development comes as federal immigration officials review plan to Home to tens of thousands In converted industrial buildings.
The Department of Homeland Security purchased the 825,000-square-foot (76,645-square-meter) building near the Washington County town of Hagerstown in January for $102.4 million. Of the 11 warehouses purchased nationwide, the Maryland facility was supposed to be one of the first to open, capable of holding between 500 and 1,500 detainees.
But the federal government faced such Fierce opposition at the national level Which Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullen Reviews the warehouse plan. While officials were in Washington County I agreed to advertise Declaring their “steadfast support” for the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and customsThe state filed a lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed in Maryland alleged that the federal government did not conduct required environmental reviews. She said the building is located in a flood plain and that the federal government did not seek public comment on its plans until more than a month after purchasing the building.
Several groups raised concerns before the public comment period closed on March 5. But the lawsuit said Immigration and customscash flow from A Huge appropriations to CongressThe contract was issued the next day at a value of $113 million To renovate the building, this work is expected to be completed by May 4.
Ultimately, a federal judge issued a short-term temporary restraining order soon after that halted work to retrofit the building. After a hearing Wednesday, the judge approved a long-term preliminary injunction allowing only limited work, such as fencing installation and heating and cooling work, until the case is decided.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it strongly opposes the ruling.
“Let’s be honest about what’s happening,” the statement read. “This is not about the environment. This is about trying to stop President Trump from making America safe.”
In a previous lawsuit, the federal government said that “ICE is reconsidering the plans and scope of the depot.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called the preliminary injunction “a big and welcome step forward.” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said it proves that “no one, not even the federal government, is above the law.”
Matthew Schindler, a Maryland state delegate who also opposed the warehouse, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the plan immigration officials were pursuing was “beyond accountability.”
“We don’t want to see our community put at risk by cutting corners,” he added.
The Maryland lawsuit is one of Three are pending in federal courtOfficials elsewhere have tried to prevent the conversion of warehouses, arguing that water and sanitation infrastructure is inadequate.
“Washington County has become ground zero for all these warehouse fights,” said Kyle McCarthy of Hagerstown Rapid Response, which is fighting the project. “We helped show a blueprint of how other communities could fight and prevent this from happening. We were throwing sand at every possible moment.”
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AP reporter Brian Witt in Annapolis, Maryland, contributed to this report.