Another Federal Judge Steps Into Immigration Policy

Stop me if you've heard this before.

U.S. District Judge (again) Brendan Hurson has temporarily halted
(rinse, repeat) construction of a federal ICE detention center in
Washington County, Maryland. The order pauses work at the Williamsport
Warehouse site for up to 14 days while the court reviews the lawsuit. 

"The State has shown that Defendants likely failed to comply with their
obligations under (the National Environmental Policy Act)," the judge
wrote. 

"Defendants do not appear to have taken a 'hard look' at the potential
environmental consequences of their plans for the Williamsport
Warehouse," the judge added. 

Federal officials had already spent over $100 million buying and
converting the 54-acre property. When completed, the facility would hold
about 1,500 detainees. The project forms part of President Donald
Trump's effort to expand detention space as immigration enforcement
increases. 

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown filed the lawsuit that triggered
the ruling, arguing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE rushed
the project, skipping required steps under the National Environmental
Policy Act. 

Brown cast the ruling as a win.

"Though temporary, this ruling stops the construction of this massive
immigration detention center while our lawsuit continues to play out in
court. ?We will not let DHS and ICE rush through the proper legal
process in their haste to ramp up deportations," Brown said. 

Judge Brendan Hurson agreed that the state raised serious legal
questions about whether federal agencies fully reviewed the
environmental impacts before construction began. The order states
Maryland could suffer lasting harm if work continues while the lawsuit
proceeds. 

The fight in court isn't about immigration policy itself; it's about
procedure. Federal agencies must review environmental impacts, consider
alternatives, and allow public input before moving ahead with major
projects. Maryland officials claim those steps were skipped when the
federal government awarded a construction contract on March 6 and began
moving quickly toward development. 

From the Trump administration's perspective, the detention center serves
a practical purpose. Immigration enforcement requires space to detain
people awaiting hearings or deportation. Without enough beds,
enforcement becomes harder to carry out. 

Federal officials argue immigration law clearly gives the government
authority to build and operate detention facilities needed to enforce
those laws. The Williamsport center was expected to open within weeks
before the court stepped in and stopped construction. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which has federal oversight of
immigration and of which the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement
agency is part, has previously said it was willing to work with state
officials to expand detention capabilities. It has also previously
rejected Maryland's assertion that the lawsuit was based on
environmental concerns. 

The lawsuit also shows how legal strategy around immigration fights has
shifted. Instead of directly attacking the policy, opponents
increasingly target the process behind federal decisions. Environmental
rules and administrative procedures now serve as tools to slow federal
projects, even when the government has the authority to carry them out. 

Brown praised the ruling and said the order protects communities and
waterways while the case moves forward. The 14-day pause gives the court
time to decide whether construction can resume or whether the project
must restart with a full environmental review. 

Judge Hurson's order doesn't end the dispute over the Williamsport
facility; it simply freezes construction while the legal arguments
continue. Federal lawyers argue that the project complied with the law,
while Maryland officials will push for a longer delay. The decision
ahead determines whether the Trump administration can quickly move
forward with the detention center or whether it will face more delays in
expanding immigration enforcement infrastructure. 

https://pjmedia.com/david-manney/2026/03/12/another-federal-judge-steps-i
nto-immigration-policy-n4950592