What Will be Needed to Transform Hagerstown Area Warehouse Into ICE Processing Facility?

A substantial transformation is anticipated for a large warehouse facility located at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport, Maryland, according to a public document that outlines requirements for immigration detention services. While official confirmation of the facility’s capacity remains undisclosed, analysis suggests it is being prepared to house approximately 1,500 individuals, a significant increase from initial planning stages from approximately 6 years ago. This project is expected to involve extensive renovations to convert the existing structure into a processing hub for immigration detainee processing and transportation, and a 2019 RFI document issued by DHS provides some insight into what to expect for potential modifications to the warehouse.

The foundation for our analysis of this undertaking comes from a 2019 Request for Information (RFI) concerning “Immigration Detention Services – Maryland Detention Capability.” Although no formal contracts have yet been published in federal databases, the specifications detailed in the RFI offer a clear indication of the likely scope of work for the Williamsport site. This original RFI, while proposing a capacity of 600 to 800 beds, highlighted operational necessities such as detainee transportation and logistical coordination, which are now being scaled up. The strategic placement of the Williamsport facility, at the nexus of Interstates 81 and 70, aligns with the RFI’s emphasis on a transportation hub, facilitating the movement of detainees by providing efficient access for large transport vehicles. The renovation will likely incorporate a large, secure vehicle entry area, or “Sally Port,” designed to accommodate multiple buses discreetly and manage heavy traffic flow, potentially requiring upgrades to the nearby Wright Road bypass.

The conversion of the 825,000-square-foot warehouse necessitates the construction of modular or pod-based housing units within the existing shell. A significant aspect of this retrofit will be the substantial upgrade of the building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to meet habitable standards for human occupancy, a considerable undertaking compared to the HVAC requirements for mere storage. Furthermore, the project will need to involve extensive plumbing work, including trenching through the concrete slab to install hundreds of toilets and showers, features not present in the original warehouse design.

For comparison, the entire Hagerstown correctional campus reports roughly 648,000 square feet of total building space. In 2022 on average MCI-H housed 823 inmates with a maximum capacity of 1,302, and MCTC has a maximum capacity of a little over 200. Roxbury Correctional Institution has a maximum capacity of 1,771 inmates.

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Beyond basic housing, the facility is expected to include comprehensive medical and segregation units, mirroring the RFI’s mandate for a dedicated medical area. While the 2019 RFI specified approximately 30 medical beds and 20 to 30 segregation beds for a smaller capacity, the scaled-up facility is likely to require a medical and mental health unit accommodating 60 to 80 individuals. Construction plans for these units will include negative pressure rooms for isolating infectious diseases, a pharmacy with secure medication storage, and suicide-resistant cells equipped with specialized fixtures for segregation purposes. These provisions highlight the requirement for on-site medical and mental health care services, as stipulated in the original RFI.

A critical operational requirement identified in the 2019 RFI is the facility’s proximity to major transportation points. The RFI mandated a location within a 90-minute ground commute of either Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) or Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) to facilitate Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS) flights. The Williamsport site, situated approximately 80 to 90 minutes from these airports, appears to meet this logistical criterion. Consequently, the operational contract is anticipated to mandate 24/7 armed transportation services to shuttle detainees between the facility and these airports. The possibility also exists that Hagerstown Airport (HGR) might be utilized, which is only a few minutes away.

In addition to transportation, the facility will likely be equipped with videoconferencing capabilities for immigration hearings, as emphasized in the RFI. This will likely involve the construction of a dedicated “VTC Wing” featuring soundproofed booths, allowing for remote court proceedings. This technological integration is intended to streamline the deportation process by reducing the need to transport detainees to immigration courts in person, further accommodating the facility’s distance from urban centers.

The project also includes the development of significant administrative space to support the operational staff. The RFI called for administrative areas and parking for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel, indicating that the Williamsport facility will serve as a forward operating base for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. The renovation will likely incorporate between 20,000 and 50,000 square feet of office space within the warehouse, designated for deportation officers, case managers, and command staff. This substantial administrative build-out suggests an anticipated significant long-term presence of federal personnel in the area.

It’s important to note that contracts involving the facility may be obfuscated. The letter to Washington County Government called the facility a “new ICE Baltimore Processing Facility” even though the warehouse is located in Williamsport. It’s quite possible that any contracts will list the place of performance as Baltimore, to help obscure from the public the true location of work being performed.

Article by Ken Buckler, based upon information from a publicly released document concerning immigration detention services.

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