Baltimore ICE Detention Lawyers

ICE Hold Rooms in Baltimore: What Families Need to Know

If someone is detained by ICE in Baltimore, they’re often held at the George H. Fallon Federal Building in downtown Baltimore, which is also where the Baltimore Immigration Court is located. According to court filings, the facility consists of five holding rooms designed for short-term stays of no more than 12 hours and has no showers, no private bathrooms, and no dedicated medical facilities on-site.

In March 2026, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin issued a preliminary injunction requiring ICE to cap those hold rooms at their stated capacity of 56 people, provide medical screening within 12 hours of arrival, clean the cells daily, and supply hygiene products. In that case, the court stated that conditions in the Baltimore hold rooms were “unlawfully punitive” and violated the Fifth Amendment rights of detainees. Court records cited by the judge show more than 3,200 people were detained in those rooms between February and October 2025, with 95% held longer than 12 hours and 27% held beyond 72 hours. On March 10, 2026, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown filed a federal lawsuit against ICE and DHS, asking a court to compel the agencies to comply with an administrative subpoena for records tied to the OAG’s civil rights investigation into alleged patterns of overcrowding, extended detention, denial of medical care, and denial of access to legal counsel.

Detainees can be transferred to longer-term facilities, sometimes out of state, with little to no advance notice. If that happens, the case may be heard in a different immigration court. Having a deportation defense attorney engaged early, before any transfer occurs, can help preserve options and maintain continuity.

Legal Options When Someone Is Detained by ICE

ICE detention doesn’t mean deportation is inevitable. Once someone is detained, removal proceedings may formally begin when ICE issues a Notice to Appear, which is filed with the immigration court and sets out the grounds for removal. From that point, a deportation attorney can pursue several paths.

Relief options we evaluate for detained clients:

• Bond hearing: We can request a bond hearing before an immigration judge and argue for the detainee’s release while the case proceeds.
• Asylum: May be available to individuals who can demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.
• Cancellation of removal: May be available to lawful permanent residents who have held that status for at least five years and have resided continuously in the United States for at least seven years after being admitted in any status, or to certain non-permanent residents who meet continuous presence and hardship requirements.
• Adjustment of status: In some cases, a detainee may be eligible to apply for lawful permanent resident status.
• Withholding of removal: A separate form of protection that may be available when return to a specific country would put someone’s life or freedom at serious risk.
• Appeal: Deportation orders can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals, but filing deadlines can be short and are subject to change, so acting quickly is essential.

If you aren’t sure where your loved one is being held, the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov allows you to search by the person’s A-number (a unique identifier assigned by DHS that appears on all immigration paperwork and on detainee bracelets) or by name, date of birth, and country of birth.

Detained individuals have the right to request bond and the right to legal representation. Immigration proceedings don’t provide a court-appointed attorney, which means the decision to hire a deportation defense lawyer in Baltimore can be one of the most consequential choices a family can make in the first hours after detention.

Don’t wait to find out what your options are. Contact Law Office Of Raymond O. Griffith now for immediate assistance, or reach us online at our contact page. You can also call us at (410) 883-9157 to speak with our team directly.