Rep. Jamie Raskin did not mince words after an unannounced oversight visit to the ICE holding rooms at the George H. Fallon Federal Building in downtown Baltimore. On Thursday he described what he saw as “appalling” conditions, with detainees sleeping on concrete floors under foil blankets, crammed into crowded rooms with limited access to bathrooms and no showers. Raskin and other lawmakers say a facility meant for short-term processing is effectively being used for multi-day detention and are demanding a full investigation.
According to WUSA9, members of Congress were brought into holding rooms where detainees reported being kept for days without regular access to showers or private toilets. CBS Baltimore reported that Raskin counted roughly 134 adults inside the Fallon building’s holding rooms and that some cells held more than 50 people at once. Lawmakers say what they witnessed flatly contradicts ICE’s stated policy that the site is only for short-term processing.
In a press release from Rep. Jamie Raskin’s Office, the congressman said, “In Baltimore today, I witnessed people suffering in extremely inhumane conditions.” He also called for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to resign or be removed and said he intends to push congressional committees for formal oversight of the facility.
Video and lawsuit show a pattern
A viral cellphone video released in January, which showed dozens of people packed into a single holding room, helped fuel a class-action lawsuit that claims prolonged and unconstitutional confinement at the Baltimore processing site. The Washington Post reported that court filings and advocacy groups say a facility designed for brief stops has instead been used for stays that stretch well past ICE’s 12-hour guidance, with a waiver in recent months allowing some holds of up to 72 hours.
Maryland delegation presses DHS
Members of Maryland’s congressional delegation have formally pressed the Department of Homeland Security and ICE for answers, according to a press release from Rep. Kweisi Mfume’s Office. Their letter cites “deeply disturbing” footage from inside the George H. Fallon Federal Building and demands details on food, hygiene, medical care and access to legal counsel for people held there.
What officials say
DHS has pointed to winter storm travel disruptions as the reason transfers were delayed and maintains that when detainees remain overnight, the agency provides mattresses, meals and basic toiletries, The Washington Post reported. Advocates and lawyers counter that records and firsthand accounts describe gaps in medical care, inconsistent access to counsel and inadequate hygiene supplies during what they say are prolonged stays.
Oversight and next steps
Lawmakers say they will lean on a recent court victory that restored their ability to conduct unannounced inspections and plan to keep showing up at facilities like the one in Baltimore. Rep. Jason Crow’s office described the emergency relief in a February 2 press release. Raskin and Maryland’s delegation say they will urge the House Judiciary and Immigration subcommittees to investigate detention practices at the Baltimore site and at similar ICE field offices across the country.
Advocates push for change
The Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, which helped file litigation over the Baltimore holding rooms last year, says the viral footage matches what clients have been reporting for months, including multi-day confinement without needed medication or access to showers, according to an organization statement. Local reporting by WYPR includes firsthand accounts from people who say they were held on concrete floors for days, details that attorneys and advocates argue should compel swift transparency and remedial action.
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