Howard County plans to appeal federal ruling on Elkridge ICE facility

Howard County attorneys filed a notice Monday that they intend to appeal a federal judge’s decision to reinstate building permits for a planned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Elkridge.

The county revoked the permits in early February and elected leaders moved quickly to pass emergency legislation aimed at blocking the project at 6522 Meadowridge Road, where ICE is looking to move its Baltimore field office.

The building was already more than 90% finished when the county halted the construction work, prompting the building’s private owner, Genesis GSA Strategic One, which was redeveloping it for ICE, to file a federal lawsuit. The suit, which the U.S. Department of Justice intervened in on the landlord’s behalf, argued that local officials cannot obstruct the federal government’s authority to enforce immigration law and open detention sites

Howard County attorneys later backed down from defending the emergency legislation, acknowledging that it wasn’t applicable to the Elkridge facility, but argued the permits were issued improperly and ran afoul of a Maryland code that requires certain public disclosures for privately owned immigrant detention facilities.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson in Baltimore granted a preliminary injunction against Howard County that reinstated the permits.

County attorneys told the court Monday that they intend to appeal the preliminary injunction to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia.

Attorneys for Genesis have indicated in email correspondence that they oppose any appeal, court records state.