Several Maryland lawmakers made an unannounced visit to the Baltimore ICE detention facility this week, seeking to examine conditions inside the federal immigration center. The visit comes amid ongoing national debate about immigration enforcement and detainee treatment
Rep. Glenn Ivey, representing Maryland’s 4th Congressional District, shared his dismay, stating, “I am disgusted by what I just saw.”
After their visit to the facility in the morning, Ivey, alongside several other lawmakers, addressed the media outside the George H. Fallon Federal Building. A former prosecutor, Ivey reflected on his extensive experience with jails and holding cells, remarking that the conditions he witnessed were unacceptable.
To illustrate his point, Ivey compared the ICE facility unfavorably to a local animal shelter: “We adopted two dogs a little while ago and went to the shelter, and the shelter space is better than the human space they’ve got upstairs.”
The ICE facility utilizes space within the building to temporarily detain individuals as they navigate what can often be a complex and unpredictable legal process related to immigration enforcement.
According to the lawmakers, many detainees have been forced to sleep on concrete floors, facing overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.
Those who visited the facility included U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, as well as Representatives Kweisi Mfume of the 7th District and Johnny Olszewski of the 2nd District. Local Baltimore leaders also participated in a press conference following the lawmakers’ visit.
Judicial Mandate for Facility Improvements
This visit comes just days after a federal judge mandated changes at the holding facility. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Julie Rubin ruled that the five holding rooms must accommodate no more than 55 individuals at a time, down from a previous capacity that allowed for over 220.
Senator Van Hollen noted that the rooms only contain concrete benches and a single toilet, emphasizing the need for proper living conditions for detainees.
Furthermore, he expressed relief that the judge ordered ICE to ensure that all detainees receive a medical screening within 12 hours of their arrival at the facility, highlighting the significance of this measure in light of recent national incidents.
“We’ve seen nearly 40 deaths in ICE custody last year, and nine already in the early months of this year,” he stated.
In court documents, the Justice Department contended that ICE had complied with federal legal standards. However, the judge rejected these claims.
Several lawmakers have made multiple visits to the facility over time, responding to persistent complaints regarding the conditions within.
