ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today signed into law a bill that prohibits the issuance of County permits for privately-owned detention centers. The Howard County Council unanimously passed the legislation, in a bipartisan vote, last night. See photos from his signing on the County’s Flickr page.
We acted because what we allow to be built in our neighborhoods reflects what we are willing to accept as a community. We acted because Howard County will not be a place where privately-owned facilities designed for confinement and fear are quietly placed in our backyard. In Howard County, we unequivocally believe that the civil rights of every Howard County resident must be protected, without exception. This moment reinforces that strong communities are built when residents feel secure in their homes, respected by their government, and confident that their voices matter. Today, we act to protect that trust, and to ensure that Howard County remains a place where everyone can live, work, play, grow, thrive, and belong without fear.
The bill, CB16-2026, which began as an emergency legislation, went through a swift process in the span of a week. Ball submitted his emergency legislation on February 2nd, 2026, and it was subsequently introduced during a legislative session the same day. A public hearing was held on February 4th filling the Council chamber. The County Council voted unanimously in favor of the bill on February 5th.
“Representing some of the County’s unguarded and most vulnerable communities, I believe we must remain united to uphold our integrity to preserve who we are and what we want our community to reflect for years to come,” said Howard County Council Chair Opel Jones. “It gives me great pleasure to announce the unanimous and bipartisan passage of Council Bill 16-2026. I’m incredibly grateful and humbled that this Council unanimously chose civility, by prioritizing logic and community values over fear!”
The bill amends the Howard County Building Code to provide that only a government agency is eligible to make application, obtain, or hold a permit for the I-3 Use group; to provide that the building official may suspend or revoke a permit other than one issued to a government agency that has not passed final inspection; generally relating to the regulation of building and construction in Howard County.
"I am proud to stand with County Executive Ball and the members of the Howard County Council, who acted with urgency and across party lines to prohibit privately owned buildings from being used as private detention centers," said Gov. Wes Moore. "I believe in constitutional policing and getting rid of violent offenders – we’re seeing neither from the Trump-Vance version of ICE. The outpouring of support for this legislation in Howard County reaffirms that in Maryland, we take care of our people."
On August 5, 2025, the Howard County Department of Licensing and Permitting (DILP) issued a building permit to McKeever Services, located in Fairfax, VA. The office building at 6522 Meadowridge Road in Elkridge was being renovated with the following description of work: “General Services Administration/scope of work includes improvement of tenant spaces support areas, detention facility, detainee processing and secured waiting area.” The building was most recently inspected on December 29, 2025, and passed with conditions for additional inspections that would be required before any Use and Occupancy certificate could be issued.
On February 2nd, Ball announced DILP had revoked the building permit issued on August 5th because McKeever Services had failed to meet two state requirements for private entities who construct or reuse an existing building or structure for use as an immigration detention facility.
Pursuant to The Annotated Code of Maryland – Correctional Services Code § 1-101 and § 1-102, notice to the public of the proposed zoning variance or permit action must be provided at least 180 days before authorizing the variance or issuing permit, and a period of public comments must be granted in at least two separate meetings. Neither condition had been met, and thus, the County pulled the permit.
Furthermore, the proposed detention center sits in an existing office park in Elkridge, in close proximity to healthcare providers, schools, parks, and neighborhoods. The proposed facility is located within a one-mile radius of the following community destinations:
- Deep Run Elementary School
- Mayfield Woods Middle School
- Waterloo Park
- Troy Park
- Timbers at Troy Golf Course
- Gateway Overlook Shopping Center
- Ascension Saint Agnes Primary Care Elkridge
- Tarbiyah Academy
- Howard County Government Bureau of Highways' Mayfield Shop
- The siting of a detention facility near these locations raises additional serious and legitimate concerns about community safety, public health, welfare, and quality of life.
Here’s what others had to say:
“Our country is living in a dual crisis. The crisis of affordability unleashed upon us by the lies of this Administration. The lie that our lives would get better, our costs would be lowered. And an accountability crisis: where men in masks can get away with killing Americans in broad daylight. Today, we answered the question about detention centers in Howard County – it’s two answers – no and hell no,” said Senator Angela Alsobrooks.
“Marylanders have made clear: we do not want Trump’s lawless ICE operations in our state. I commend County Executive Ball, Chair Jones, and the entire Howard County Council for taking fast action this week to block Trump’s ICE from opening detention facilities in the County. I’ll continue fighting in Congress to rein in these lawless operations, and will not support a single additional dime in funding for Trump’s out-of-control ICE operations that have led to the killing of American citizens, violations of constitutional rights, and a culture of impunity,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen.
“Under this Administration, ICE is not going after the worst of the worst. We know that 95% of people who are being detained have no criminal records. We know they are picking up pastors and teachers and children, and we know not just the violence in the streets, we know the violence in these detention centers. We know that these facilities have absolutely no place in Howard County and no place in Maryland. Thank you to the General Assembly for acting decisively over the years, and now, when we have this local challenge, our County Council has stood up,” said Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth.“We are going to use every single tool to slow this down, to stop this thing, to fight back, and I'm just here to tell everybody, and especially the County Council, you are the model for local government stepping up and responding across this country, and I'm so grateful to each and every one of you.”
The legislation takes immediate effect.