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ICE Awards $113 Million Contract to Convert Maryland Warehouse Into Detention Center

The award escalates a contested federal push to convert warehouses into ICE detention sites in Maryland.

Overview

  • Federal spending records show KVG LLC received a $113.1 million award to renovate and operate the Williamsport facility, with an initial completion date listed in early May though the operational timeline remains unclear.
  • Contract options could raise the value to as much as $642 million over three years, bringing known federal spending on the 825,000-square-foot site to at least $215 million including its $102.4 million purchase in January.
  • Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has sued to halt construction and operations, alleging the federal government bypassed required environmental review and public input.
  • Local reaction is split, with Washington County commissioners passing a resolution supporting ICE enforcement as residents and advocacy groups stage protests and report increased on-site activity, including dozens of unmarked SUVs.
  • The Maryland award is part of a national expansion that has steered major contracts to nontraditional operators, including a separate GardaWorld deal of at least $313 million in Arizona, while KVG has not previously overseen immigration detention.