Overview
- U.S. District Judge Brendan Hurson on Wednesday extended a preliminary injunction that stops ICE from retrofitting or operating a planned detention site in a Williamsport warehouse while the lawsuit moves forward.
- His order still lets the agency do limited work to secure and maintain the property, including installing security cameras, repairing HVAC systems, building interior office space, and putting up an eight-foot perimeter fence.
- Hurson said the federal environmental review had internal inconsistencies, found that Maryland has standing, and indicated the state is likely to prevail on its claims.
- Maryland argues local systems cannot support hundreds of detainees, pointing to an 800‑gallon‑per‑day water allocation for a building once outfitted with only a few fixtures and warning of sewage overflows and disease risks.
- The Justice Department counters that an analysis was done, says the site would start with up to 542 detainees and need minimal off‑site sewer work, and argues the project serves a national security interest in enforcing immigration law.