Over the past several weeks, many of us in Washington County have been trying to get answers about a plan to convert a massive 825,000-square-foot warehouse near Williamsport into an ICE detention facility. Instead of transparency, we’ve mostly encountered silence from local officials.
That’s why we’ve been organizing.
Through Hagerstown Rapid Response, a growing group of concerned residents, we’ve been researching the project, working with the media, raising awareness, and in partnership with Washington County Indivisible, showing up at county commissioner meetings to demand answers about what this facility could mean for our community.
Recently, the situation escalated when Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown filed a lawsuit seeking to halt construction work on the warehouse, arguing the project violates state law governing detention facilities. A judge has already ordered a temporary pause on construction while the case moves forward.
The lawsuit itself also references the protests and organizing efforts of Hagerstown Rapid Response, which shows just how much public concern has grown around this project. In the past six weeks, nearly 500 local concerned citizens have joined the Hagerstown Rapid Response Signal chat, which we have used to mobilize the community.
Our group has also helped bring other developments to light. For example, Hagerstown Rapid Response broke the news that jobs connected to the detention facility were already being advertised on Indeed and other employment websites, suggesting the project was moving forward even as major legal and community questions remained unresolved. For this reason, we partnered with Cat Ladies for America to launch a campaign and petition to pressure Indeed, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and other job sites to stop profiting off of DHS staffing ICE facilities.
Meanwhile, many residents still don’t have basic answers to questions like:
- How will a large detention facility impact local water, sewer, and infrastructure capacity?
- Why were residents not given the opportunity to speak about the project during public meetings?
- Why have the Washington County Commissioners refused to answer questions about a project with such major consequences for our community?
For many of us, the issue goes beyond transparency. It’s also about what it means for our community if a local warehouse becomes a large federal immigration detention complex.
To make matters worse, the Washington County Commissioners have restricted public comment during meetings, preventing residents from directly raising concerns about the ICE facility. That lack of accountability is one of the main reasons we continue to show up.
So we’re protesting again.
Protest Details
Tuesday, March 17 @ 8:45 AM
Washington County Administration Building
100 W. Washington St., Hagerstown
WHY?
We are continuing to press the Washington County Commissioners to answer questions about the proposed ICE warehouse detention facility and its impact on our community. We are also demanding that residents be allowed to speak during public meetings and expressing opposition to expanding ICE detention in Washington County.
WHO?
This is primarily a local action, but everyone who supports transparency, accountability, and dignity in our community is welcome.
WHAT?
Unless the ICE facility is listed as an agenda item, those inside the meeting room are encouraged to join the protest outside the building after the commissioners’ opening comments. Protesters outside the building can often be heard from inside the meeting room.
VISITORS
If you're coming from outside Washington County, consider visiting the warehouse site after the meeting.
Warehouse location:
16220 Wright Rd
Williamsport, MD
The site is about a 15-minute drive from the county administration building.
MEETING SCHEDULE
Morning meetings begin at 9:00 AM, so arrive at 8:45 am if you want a seat inside the meeting room.
Take Action
If you believe Washington County residents deserve transparency and a voice in decisions that affect our community, please consider taking action.
👉 Sign the petition:
Stop the ICE Detention Center in Washington County
https://change.org/p/stop-the-ice-detention-center-in-washington-county
Every signature helps demonstrate that our community is paying attention - and that we expect our leaders to listen.