Howard County lawmakers propose new tax targeting ICE detention facility

HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — A new proposal to impose higher property taxes on detention facilities is fueling debate in Howard County, where lawmakers are looking for another way to push back against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility under construction in Elkridge.

The proposal comes after a federal judge reinstated building permits that county officials had attempted to revoke, allowing the controversial project to move forward.

Now, Democratic State Senator Clarence Lam and Delegate Gabriel Moreno are proposing legislation that would give Howard County the authority to impose higher property taxes on facilities used for secure confinement, including the ICE facility. Supporters argue the facility could place additional demands on local police, emergency services and infrastructure, and say Howard County taxpayers should not be responsible for covering those costs.

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“Our responsibility is not simply to respond to the presence of a detention facility, but to ensure that the public cost and human consequences of its operation are not ignored,” Moreno said in a statement.

However, critics question whether the proposed tax could ultimately backfire.

Republican House of Delegates candidate Fitzgerald Mofor argues the property owner could pass the higher taxes along to the federal government through its lease, potentially leaving federal taxpayers to cover the additional expense.

“I’m against this because, unfortunately, this is just red meat for the hard left in Howard County,” Mofor said.

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Beyond the potential financial impact, Mofor questioned whether the proposal would set a dangerous precedent by using local taxing authority to target a facility tied to federal immigration enforcement.

“This is actually, unfortunately, going to, I believe, be somewhat unconstitutional in terms of the supremacy clause, whether the localities can even do something like this,” he said.

For now, the legislation remains only a proposal. Before Howard County could impose the higher tax, the measure would need to clear the required approval process involving the county’s state legislative delegation and the Maryland General Assembly.

FOX45 News also reached out to ICE for comment on the proposed legislation but had not received a response by news time Friday.