Social Media Video Shows Alleged Overcrowding Inside Baltimore ICE Holding Room
Footage circulating online claims to show dozens of people lying on the floor at 31 Hopkins Plaza
Update | Jan. 26, 2026: This report has been updated to include new information regarding the location of the facility and the status of official inquiries.
An individual with firsthand knowledge of the site has confirmed that the room shown in the video is the temporary detainee holding area at 31 Hopkins Pl. The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing fears of retaliation and concerns for their personal safety.
As of Monday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Baltimore Field Office has not responded to a request for comment.
A video circulating on social media Sunday morning appears to show dozens of people being held in crowded conditions inside a federal immigration facility in downtown Baltimore.
The video, posted on Instagram by the user mikekyanez and later shared on the ICE_Watch subreddit, shows at least 25 adults — most of them men — lying shoulder to shoulder on the floor of a white cinder-block room. Wall-mounted benches line both sides of the room, though many of the individuals appear to be resting on the floor. Several people are seen wrapped in reflective emergency blankets. A single wall-mounted pay phone is visible.
In one portion of the video, a man is seen wearing a sweatshirt bearing the logo of Long Homes, a Maryland-based construction company, suggesting that at least some of those shown may have ties to the local area.
The Spanish-language caption accompanying the video states that the individuals shown are detainees being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Baltimore and claims they have been confined in those conditions for several days. The caption identifies the location as “31 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, Md.” and appeals for help from a community attorney or other assistance.
The caption reads in part, translated from Spanish: “This is how ICE detainees are being held in Baltimore. They have been like this for several days. It’s unbelievable.” It goes on to ask for legal or community help.
The address cited corresponds to the George H. Fallon Federal Office Building at 31 Hopkins Plaza, which houses ICE offices and an immigration court. ICE has not confirmed that the video was recorded inside the building, nor has the agency commented on the conditions shown.
The authenticity of the video and the circumstances surrounding when it was recorded have not been independently verified. It is unclear how long the individuals shown had been held in the room or whether the space is intended for short-term processing or longer detention.
Videos and firsthand accounts alleging overcrowded conditions in temporary ICE holding rooms have surfaced in other U.S. cities in recent years. In New York, a federal judge ordered ICE in 2024 to improve conditions at a holding facility inside a federal building after detainees reported being confined for extended periods without adequate space, bedding or sanitation.
Immigrant advocates have argued that such holding rooms — intended for brief processing — are increasingly being used as de facto detention spaces amid heightened immigration enforcement and court activity. ICE has previously said it complies with federal detention standards and uses holding areas only temporarily.
This is a developing story.
We are under siege in our own country. I just left an ICE Out rally in Chicago in single digit temperatures and lake effect snow. There were hundreds there!
Crucial documentation work here. When official channels provide limited transparency about detention conditions, citizen journalism through social media footage becomes an essential accountability tool. The specificity matters—31 Hopkins Plaza, Sunday morning, verifiable details that can be cross-referenced and investigated. This kind of ground-level reporting fills gaps that traditional media often can't access quickly enough. The challenge is always verification and context, but the visual evidence of overcrowding creates a baseline that demands official response and follow-up reporting. Transparency in detention conditions isn't partisan—it's foundational to accountability regardless of administration.