On February 10, the Washington County Commissioners voted unanimously to support a 1,500-bed ICE detention facility near Hagerstown, Maryland. We demand they immediately rescind their endorsement and stand with their constituents.

To:
 John F. Barr, President
 Jeffrey A. Cline, Vice President
 Derek Harvey, Commissioner
 Randal Leatherman, Commissioner
 Randy E. Wagner, Commissioner
 Washington County Board of County Commissioners

On February 10, you voted unanimously to formally support the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE’s planned detention facility at 16220 Wright Road, Williamsport, Maryland, just outside Hagerstown.

This property - a more than 825,000-square-foot warehouse purchased by DHS for approximately $102.4 million - is believed to be intended as a detention center capable of holding up to 1,500 people.

You rushed this decision after already delaying public awareness of the detention center.

You made this decision with limited public access to the meeting.

You made this decision despite visible, organized opposition from your constituents.

This was not a neutral administrative action. It was a values statement.

By formally endorsing this detention facility, you have aligned Washington County with ICE’s expansion and the federal policies that come with it - policies that many residents believe threaten civil liberties, economic stability, and community trust.

We object because:

• A 1,500-bed detention complex will place heavy strain on local water and sewage systems that are already approaching capacity.
• Converting a major logistics warehouse into a detention center removes long-term economic development opportunities and private-sector job growth.
• DHS’s outright purchase of the facility raises serious concerns about bypassing the intent of Maryland’s Dignity Not Detention Act.
• ICE has a documented history of civil rights litigation, wrongful detentions, and accountability failures in other jurisdictions.
• Washington County - home to a significant and growing Hispanic community - should not become a regional hub for mass immigration detention.

This decision affects our economy. This decision affects our infrastructure. This decision affects our neighbors. And it was made without meaningful public participation.

We Demand Immediate Action:
We call on each of you - John F. Barr, Wayne K. Keefer, Derek Harvey, Rick Curry, and Randy Wagner - to:

1. Publicly rescind your support for the ICE detention facility.
2. Hold open public forums to hear directly from the community.
3. Advocate for transparency regarding DHS’s operational plans.
4. Prioritize economic development strategies that strengthen Washington County instead of turning it into a detention hub.

Leadership means listening to the people you represent.

If you refuse to reconsider this vote, we will remember it.

Washington County deserves accountability, transparency, and leadership that reflects the will of its residents - not backroom alignment with federal detention expansion.

We demand that you reverse this decision.

 

Next Protest:

Tuesday, March 17 @ 8:30 am @ the Washington County Commissioners Meeting

100 West Washington Street, Hagerstown, MD 21740

 

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