I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7470 
To prohibit the Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Immigra-
tion and Customs Enforcement, from establishing or operating an immi-
gration detention or holding facility in Washington County, Maryland, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 10, 2026 
Mrs. MCCLAIN DELANEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on 
Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To prohibit the Department of Homeland Security, including 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, from es-
tablishing or operating an immigration detention or hold-
ing facility in Washington County, Maryland, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Keep ICE Out of 
Washington County, Maryland Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Immigration detention and holding facilities 
have significant and lasting impacts on surrounding 
communities, including effects on public health, 
housing, infrastructure, and local services. 
(2) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforce-
ment has detained thousands of citizens and nonciti-
zens without regard for due process or the rule of 
law, undermining key constitutional protections af-
forded to all people, regardless of status. 
(3) Detention conditions in U.S. Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement facilities across the coun-
try are inhumane and fall far short of our values as 
Americans. 
(4) Detained noncitizens are routinely denied 
medical care, access to counsel, and family visitation 
while in Immigration and Customs Enforcement cus-
tody. 
(5) Land-use planning and community develop-
ment are traditionally matters of local concern, and 
Federal actions should respect community input and 
local priorities. 
(6) Residents and local officials in historic 
Washington County, Maryland, have raised substan-
tial concerns regarding the siting of a Federal immi-
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gration detention or holding facility in their commu-
nity. 
(7) Congress has authority to condition and 
prohibit the use of Federal funds and facilities. 
SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN DETENTION AND HOLD-
ING FACILITIES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, 
MARYLAND. 
(a) PROHIBITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, no covered agency may— 
(A) establish a detention or holding facility 
in Washington County, Maryland; or 
(B) operate, expand, or reopen any deten-
tion or holding facility in Washington County. 
(2) USE
OF
FUNDS
PROHIBITED.—No funds 
appropriated or otherwise made available to any cov-
ered agency may be obligated or expended for any 
purpose described in paragraph (1). 
(b) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) JUDICIAL REVIEW.—Any resident of Wash-
ington County, Maryland, the government of Wash-
ington, County, a Member of Congress, or the State 
of Maryland shall have standing to bring an action 
in the United States District Court for the District 
of Maryland to enforce this section. 
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(2) RELIEF.—In any action brought under 
paragraph (1), the court may grant declaratory and 
injunctive relief, including an order prohibiting any 
activity in violation of this section. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘covered 
agency’’ means the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity and any of its components, including U.S. Im-
migration and Customs Enforcement. 
(2) DETENTION OR HOLDING FACILITY.—The 
term ‘‘detention or holding facility’’ means any facil-
ity used primarily for the civil detention or holding 
of noncitizens, including facilities operated directly 
by the Federal Government or through contracts, 
intergovernmental service agreements, or private en-
tities. 
Æ 
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