BALTIMORE — A federal judge ruled Friday that Baltimore's ICE office must limit the number of detainees held at the George Fallon Building in downtown Baltimore.
According to court documents, detainees are being held in "Baltimore Hold Rooms," which have been deemed unconstitutional due to conditions of confinement that violate the Fifth Amendment.
Court documents allege that more than 50% of detainees were held on days when the Baltimore Hold Rooms exceeded their total capacity of 56 people. On one occasion, the population reached 123 — more than 200% of maximum capacity.
At full capacity, court documents say each detainee would have just 10 square feet of space — roughly the size of a baby crib mattress or bath towel.
Treatment of detainees was also flagged as inadequate. Multiple sworn declarations describe detainees being denied critical medications, including treatments for leukemia, HIV, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
The rooms allegedly had no windows, clocks, or calendars, and detainees were denied access to outdoor space, television, or any recreational materials.
The judge ordered that conditions be remedied and capped the facility's capacity at no more than 56 detainees across its five holding cells.
Friday's ruling follows earlier complaints about the facility. In March 2025, a DC- and Baltimore-based immigrant rights group said it had firsthand accounts of poor conditions, overcrowding, and long holding times at the George Fallon Building.
Eric Lopez, deputy program director at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, said people were sleeping on floors without blankets in overcrowded rooms.
"These are inhumane conditions," he said. "This is not how immigrants or anyone should be treated. And this is a good moment, I think, to recall that immigration detention is a civil system. This isn't criminal detention."
the full court ruling can be read below:
