Facility
processing-center
Blocked
Elkridge MD — ICE Detention Facility Blocked by Howard County
Howard, MD
FIPS 24027
unknown
Bed capacity
Operator: Genesis GSA Strategic One LLC (private)
Overview
A privately owned ICE detention facility was being secretly developed at 6522 Meadowridge Road in Elkridge, Howard County by Genesis GSA Strategic One LLC. The facility had been in the works since 2022 but went largely unnoticed until early 2026, when Howard County revoked the building permit and passed emergency legislation banning privately owned detention centers.
Key Timeline
- 2022-2023: Federal contract records show ICE planned a facility in the leased building; ICE was identified as intended tenant in 2023
- August 5, 2025: McKeever Services (Fairfax, VA) obtained building permit to renovate 28,614 sq ft within existing building — scope described “improvement of tenant spaces support areas, detention facility, detainee processing and secured waiting area”
- February 2, 2026: Hundreds rally against the facility; Howard County Executive Calvin Ball revokes building permit, determines facility meets definition of “immigration detention facility” under state code
- February 2026: Ball submits emergency legislation to ban permitting of privately-owned buildings operating as detention centers in Howard County
Why It Matters
- Stealth approach: The facility was developed quietly through a private contractor, bypassing the political scrutiny that publicly announced ICE facilities face
- Private operator model: Unlike the Williamsport warehouse (federal purchase), this was a private-sector led facility using a lease arrangement — a different pathway for expanding detention capacity
- Rapid community response: Once discovered, the community and county government moved quickly to block it
- Pattern: Similar to other jurisdictions where ICE facilities were discovered through building permits rather than announced publicly
Sources
- Howard County revokes permit for ICE detention facility in Elkridge — Baltimore Banner (Feb 2026)
- How did the Elkridge ICE facility go largely unnoticed? — Baltimore Banner
- Howard County Executive Calvin Ball Announces Permit Revoked — Howard County (Feb 2, 2026)
- Howard Co. revokes building permit — WTOP (Feb 2026)
- Hundreds rally against ICE detention center in Elkridge — Baltimore Sun (Feb 2, 2026)