ICE Quietly Opens Legal Office in Hunt Valley – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has quietly established a new office in Hunt Valley, according to the attorney representing the building’s owner.
Property records indicate the building is owned by The International Trust. Attorney Tim Braue confirmed that 16,365 square feet of office space has been leased to the U.S. General Services Administration. The space is now being used by the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, the legal division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A Legal Office Focused on Casework
The new office will house approximately 34 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and clerical staff. Their responsibilities center on providing legal representation for the Department of Homeland Security, the agency that oversees ICE.
Their work spans immigration litigation, contract negotiations, customs enforcement matters, employee-related legal issues, and responses to Freedom of Information Act requests.
Although the exact start date of the lease was not disclosed, public records show that a commercial change-of-occupancy permit was filed on January 20.
Local Reaction and Policy Response
Plans for the office at 201 International Circle first drew broader attention after being mentioned in a national report examining ICE’s expansion efforts.
Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier confirmed that federal authorities had leased space in Hunt Valley, though she initially stated that the purpose of the office was not fully clear.
The announcement led Klausmeier to call an emergency session of the County Council. During that meeting, council members approved legislation prohibiting immigration detention centers from operating within the county.
However, Braue emphasized that the Hunt Valley location is strictly an administrative legal office.
“There are no uniformed ICE officers stationed in the building, and no detained individuals will be brought to the leased office space,” he clarified.
Multi-Tenant Office Building
The property itself offers roughly 50,000 square feet of office space and accommodates multiple businesses across various industries. According to Braue, the ICE-related operations represent just one tenant among several.
