Contract proposals show possible increase in ICE presence coming to Baltimore
ICE appears to be preparing for an expanded presence in Baltimore and other parts of Maryland, based on recently released public procurement documents reviewed by WYPR and federal contracting specialists.
New office space requests
At the end of October, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security issued two contract requests seeking administrative office space to support law enforcement work in Baltimore and Hyattsville, Maryland.
- The Baltimore location is planned to cover between 11,500 and 18,500 square feet.
- The Hyattsville site is expected to be between 3,750 and 5,000 square feet.
“ICE is definitely on the footprint of those contracts, and it is a fair amount of space,” said Dan Meyer, a partner at Tully Rinckey who focuses on federal employment.
Meyer noted that these dimensions could accommodate approximately 60 to 100 special agents, suggesting a notable expansion in staffing potential.
Pattern of federal space acquisitions
The new proposals follow previous listings by the General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency managing government real estate acquisitions. In September, the GSA’s Public Buildings Service announced bids for fully furnished office space intended for law enforcement administrative operations in 19 cities nationwide.
The listing estimates each lease would provide workspace for about 70 staff members and highlights an unusually short one-week window for submitting proposals.
Author’s summary
The ICE and DHS contracts indicate a possible scaling up of law enforcement infrastructure in Maryland, reflecting a broader federal effort to expand operational capacity.