DHS says a set of long-empty buildings at the St. Elizabeths West Campus pose real safety and security risks, and the agency is moving to tear down several historic structures as it finishes the site’s conversion into a fortified headquarters. The decision, framed as an emergency by DHS leadership, has triggered pushback from preservation groups and a legal challenge tied to other high-profile demolition plans on the national stage.
The Department of Homeland Security is pressing forward with demolition of a cluster of vacant buildings on the 176-acre West Campus of St. Elizabeths as part of its headquarters redevelopment. DHS officials say the structures are dilapidated, accessible to unauthorized people and present tactical risks that could endanger staff and operations.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem declared in a Dec. 19 memo that the buildings at St. Elizabeths’ West Campus “present a risk to life and property” and that “demolition is the only permanent measure that resolves the emergency conditions.” That formal finding was accompanied by a security risk assessment that DHS says supports immediate action to protect personnel and sensitive operations.
The assessment warns the vacant buildings could be exploited in small-arms or active-shooter scenarios and that “malicious insiders,” including employees or contractors with legitimate access, might use those spaces to threaten executives, disrupt operations or compromise sensitive information. From a conservative security perspective, risk is risk, and when federal staff and critical missions are at stake, decisive measures are warranted.
In total, DHS is seeking to remove 17 buildings from the West Campus footprint; four have already cleared federal planning reviews, while the remaining 13 are being advanced under the emergency demolition designation. Preservation groups argue the emergency route bypasses required historic-preservation review for a National Historic Landmark, but DHS counters that the danger is real and immediate.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “DHS security and safety assessments have determined these dilapidated, vacant buildings pose unacceptable safety, security and emergency-response risks,” and added, “Demolition is the only permanent corrective action.” A GSA spokesperson likewise told officials, “Where buildings pose a threat, demolition may be necessary, and we are currently following all applicable laws and regulations.”
St. Elizabeths has a long history—the hospital was founded in 1855 and its West Campus was later declared excess federal property before being selected for DHS’s headquarters redevelopment. Over the past 15 years the site has been transformed into a high-security compound designed to protect critical personnel and mission functions from evolving threats.
Historic preservation organizations, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the D.C. Preservation League, say DHS has not demonstrated a true emergency and that the agency’s move short-circuits the normal review process for National Historic Landmark properties. They also accuse DHS of compressing the review window by declaring an emergency on Dec. 19 and notifying local officials only on Dec. 23, a timing they say left little opportunity for intervention.
The preservation groups told officials that the emergency declaration rests largely on the secretary’s determination and bypasses review procedures, and they said in a letter, “A unilateral declaration like this is problematic because it bypasses the procedural safeguards designed to ensure stability, legitimacy and fairness.” Their challenge reflects a broader tension between historic protection and urgent security needs on federal lands.
Those tensions have spilled into other controversies as well; the National Trust has also filed legal action opposing a separate plan tied to President Donald Trump to alter the White House East Wing and build a new ballroom. That suit highlights how preservation fights have become intertwined with high-profile federal projects and disputes over how to balance legacy architecture with contemporary security and functional demands.
Supporters of DHS’s approach argue that when federal facilities face potential exploitation that could harm people or compromise operations, administrative speed is not obstruction but responsibility. Opponents counter that historic places deserve careful, procedural consideration and that emergency powers should not be the shortcut for contested demolitions.
Darnell Thompkins is a conservative opinion writer from Atlanta, GA, known for his insightful commentary on politics, culture, and community issues. With a passion for championing traditional values and personal responsibility, Darnell brings a thoughtful Southern perspective to the national conversation. His writing aims to inspire meaningful dialogue and advocate for policies that strengthen families and empower individuals.