The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is placing new limitations on lawmakers seeking to visit detention facilities, releasing guidelines in the wake of visits from Democrats that have turned confrontational.<\/p>\n
Members of Congress have the legal right to make unannounced visits to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.<\/p>\n
But new guidance\u00a0posted by ICE<\/a> seeks to rein in that power, asking lawmakers to give 72 hours notice before any visits, while requiring their staff to give 24 hours notice.\u00a0<\/p>\n Though lawmakers retain the ability to make unannounced visits to ICE detention facilities, the new policy blocks them from visiting field offices, where most agency action takes place.<\/p>\n \u201c[DHS Secretary] Kristi Noem\u2019s new policy to block congressional oversight of ICE facilities is not only unprecedented, it is an affront to the Constitution and Federal law. Noem is now not only attempting to restrict when Members can visit, but completely blocking access to ICE Field Offices \u2013 even if Members schedule visits in advance. No matter how much she and [President] Trump want to force us to live under their authoritarian rule, ICE is not above oversight and the Department must follow the law,\u201d Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThis unlawful policy is a smokescreen to deny Member visits to ICE offices across the country, which are holding migrants \u2013 and sometimes even U.S. citizens \u2013 for days at a time. They are therefore detention facilities and are subject to oversight and inspection at any time. DHS pretending otherwise is simply their latest lie.\u201d<\/p>\n Recent Democratic visits have resulted in clashes with DHS personnel.<\/p>\n A scuffle erupted when a trio of New Jersey Democrats attempted to visit their state’s Delaney Hall detention center alongside Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D), with DHS agents later arresting him for trespassing.<\/p>\n The charges against Baraka were swiftly dropped, but prosecutors later brought charges<\/a> against Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), accusing her of assaulting law enforcement with her forearms during the scum. If convicted, she faces 17 years in prison.<\/p>\n