Credit: Pablo Rouco joined WTOP in 2025
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot proceed with retrofitting a warehouse in Western Maryland into a detention facility, pending further court proceedings, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson said there are “internal inconsistencies” in the federal government’s report concerning possible environmental impacts on the surrounding area, including local water and sewer infrastructure.
Hurson’s injunction prohibits building and operating detention space inside the facility while awaiting further arguments in the federal court case. But the ruling still allows ICE to proceed with certain construction activities like erecting an eight-foot security fence around the property, installing security cameras, fixing the HVAC system and creating office space inside.
The ruling comes as Hurson’s previous stop-work order was set to expire.