Petition to Halt Proposed Washington County ICE Facility Reaches Over 1,000 Signatures

A growing opposition from Washington County residents has materialized in the form of a Change.org petition, urging the Washington County Board of Commissioners to “rescind their unanimous February 10 vote supporting a proposed 1,500-bed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility near Hagerstown, Maryland.”

This article was updated 2/17/2026 5:46 pm to include a separate petition in support of the facility. Both links are at the end of this article.

EDITOR’S NOTE: While the commissioners did approve a resolution on February 10th in support of DHS/ICE, that resolution did not call out supporting the ICE facility directly. Additionally, ICE documentation continues to claim that the facility is a processing facility, not a detention facility, although there seems to be a lot of ambiguity regarding what a processing facility is, and ICE lists processing facilities under “detention facilities” on their website.

The petition, titled “Stop the ICE Detention Center in Washington County,” advocates for increased transparency, public participation, and leadership that aligns with the priorities of the local community. The facility in question is the warehouse located at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport, acquired by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for approximately $102.4 million, with the capacity to hold up to 1,500 individuals. Organizers of the petition contend that the decision was made hastily, with insufficient public input and in disregard of significant community opposition.

The development has ignited ongoing protests and grassroots organizing throughout Washington County. Residents are demanding accountability from their elected officials and a greater voice in decisions that could impact local infrastructure, economic development, and civil liberties. Demonstrations have taken place outside county commissioner meetings, where attendees have voiced concerns about the facility and the perceived lack of transparency surrounding the approval process. This proposed facility near Hagerstown is part of a broader national strategy by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to expand immigration detention capacity. The federal agency has been acquiring large industrial properties across the country for potential detention use, a move that has also faced considerable pushback from other communities grappling with similar concerns about infrastructural strain and humanitarian considerations.

“As a Western Marylander, I am tired of the federal government deciding for us when industry leaves, replace it with prisons,” said Todd from Hagerstown commenting on the petition. “Using Western Maryland as the dumping ground for prisons & calling it a source of jobs is wrong.”

The petition highlights several core issues that organizers believe were not adequately addressed by the county commissioners. A primary concern is the potential strain on existing local infrastructure, including water and sewage systems, that a facility of this magnitude could impose. Furthermore, repurposing a significant logistics property for use as a detention center could diminish opportunities for long-term private sector economic growth within the county. The petition also raises questions about civil rights and accountability, referencing documented challenges faced by ICE facilities in other regions. Organizers express a desire for Washington County to define its community identity in ways that do not involve becoming a regional hub for immigration detention.

“I signed this petition as a Marylander and as a candidate for Congress in Maryland’s 6th District,” said Ethan Wechtaluk from Clarksburg. “Local leaders owe transparency and accountability to the people they serve. Advancing a 1,500-bed ICE detention facility without meaningful public engagement erodes trust and risks our community’s economic stability and civil
health.”

In response to these concerns, the petition calls for specific actions from the county commissioners. It requests that they rescind their support for the ICE detention facility, engage in open public forums to directly hear from residents, and demand transparency regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s operational plans for the site. Additionally, the petition urges commissioners to focus on economic development strategies that genuinely benefit the community without relying on the expansion of detention facilities. The petition’s text emphasizes that strong leadership involves listening to constituents, and that Washington County deserves accountability, transparency, and governance that reflects the will of its residents rather than what is described as “backroom alignment with federal detention expansion.” Organizers are actively gathering signatures and plan to formally present the petition’s results to county officials.

The petition as of publication has over 1,000 signatures, with approximately 61% of signatures coming from Hagerstown or Frederick zip codes, according to Change.org. A separate petition in support of the ICE facility has also been created.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from a press release from Hagerstown Rapid Response.

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