The small town of Williamsport in western Maryland became a national touchstone last month after the Department of Homeland Security bought a massive warehouse to convert into an immigrant detention facility. Now people in the majority conservative area are pushing back on what they see as a violation of their home and people’s human rights.
As of Friday a petition to stop the ICE facility had more than 1,840 signatures, with a majority of signees residing in just three zip codes around Washington County.
The petition is asking Washington County Commissioner President John Barr and his peers on the panel to withdraw their support for the more than 800,000 square foot facility, which could hold as many as 1,500 immigrants.
It also asks for a public forum on the issue. The commissioners failed to take any public comment on their vote to support ICE on Feb. 10. None of the commissioners responded for comment on the issue.
The response to the $102 million procurement of a warehouse by DHS comes in a county that voted 60% for Donald Trump in the last election.
“ICE took one of my classmates’ wife last semester before they were able to get her green card renewed. She had just given birth and left my classmate to take care of their three kids along for the weeks leading up to finals. I want my peers and their families to be safe,” one commenter posted on the forum.
It’s not just a petition that’s been brewing since DHS moved into Washington County.
Patrick Dattilo started the Hagerstown Rapid Response Network, a resistance organization, after hearing about the facility.
“We've got people across both borders, in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, over the mountains into Frederick and Montgomery County,” Dattilo said.
The facility sits at the crossroads of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania and is part of a larger DHS plan to open ICE detention centers across the nation that could hold about 85,000 immigrants.
The Hagerstown Rapid Response Network is responsible for the petition, but also protests, mutual aid and many other ways of pushing back against what many see as a violation of rights.
Protests have become commonplace. During the county commissioners’ meeting on Feb. 10, chants could be heard from outside the building. The commissioners shut the meeting down after protestors objected to a lack of public forum.
Claire Connor is part of Washington County Indivisible, a group opposing ICE in the county and the development of an immigration detention center.
“The biggest concern is simply the fact that there was absolutely no communication, no transparency about what was happening, and that we've been evaded at every opportunity when seeking a response from the county commissioners as to what's happening,” Connor said. “The real world implications of what is going to happen when you round up thousands of individuals, you cram them into spaces unfit to inhabit life, and what it will mean economically for our region, I think once that is realized, there will be people singing a different tune.”
The Baltimore City Council is considering a bill that requires city agencies to develop and implement a plan to limit ICE activities in Baltimore-owned spaces like schools, parks, libraries and office buildings
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball signed two emergency bills into law last week that ban privately-owned buildings from becoming detention centers and limit ICE access in the county.
Gov. Wes Moore signed a bill into law this week that would keep local law enforcement from partnering with ICE.
The General Assembly is also considering another bill that would restrict ICE agents from wearing masks.
Moore wrote a letter to DHS expressing concern about the Washington County facility and the conditions of the facility in Baltimore.
“ICE has been essentially holding people in cages, not giving people access to their medications, to medical care, not giving sufficient food and water or beds,” said Adinia Applebaum, the program director at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights. “People have to sleep on the bare floor without mattresses.”
U.S. Representative April McClain Delaney, (D-Md.) who represents Washington County, introduced legislation to block ICE from establishing the detention center.
“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. 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,” McClain Delaney said. “I will fight alongside Maryland lawmakers and community members to show up, speak out, and stand resolute in defense of all of our neighbors.”
According to DHS records obtained by CBS less than 14% of people arrested by ICE have violent records. DHS repeatedly claimed that ICE crackdowns are primarily to target “dangerous and violent individuals.”
About 40% have no criminal record. Another 30% are nonviolent crimes. About 6% were related to “dangerous drugs.” Another 8% were driving under the influence infractions.
Of the 14% who were charged with violent crimes, 11% had to do with assault and 1.4% with sexual assault. People charged with homicides and kidnapping made up less than 1%. Less than 2% had gang affiliations.
