1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to request clarity on the steps you are taking to ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is operating with appropriate oversight, fiscal discipline, and adherence to constitutional limits — particularly with respect to large federal detention facilities in California. I am specifically concerned about the ICE detention facility located in the Mojave Desert (California City). Public reporting and prior oversight visits have raised questions about conditions of confinement, access to legal process, and accountability mechanisms. I believe it is in the public interest for federal agencies to operate transparently, within statutory authority, and without exposing taxpayers to unnecessary legal or financial risk. With that in mind, I respectfully request a written response addressing the following: 1. What concrete oversight tools are currently being used by Congress to monitor ICE detention operations, including inspections, reporting requirements, or audits? How do you evaluate whether these mechanisms are sufficient? 2. What steps are being taken to ensure that individuals held at the California City facility have access to constitutionally required due process, including timely access to counsel and medical care? How does Congress verify compliance to reduce the risk of civil rights litigation? 3. How is Congress assessing and limiting taxpayer exposure stemming from detention-related lawsuits, settlements, or claims of negligence or misconduct? Are there safeguards in place to identify problems before they result in costly legal action? 4. Are you supporting or considering funding conditions, reporting requirements, or appropriations limitations that would require ICE to meet clear operational and legal standards as a condition of continued funding? If not, what alternative accountability measures do you believe are more effective? 5. What benchmarks or indicators do you rely on to determine whether ICE is operating within its statutory mission rather than expanding its authority without adequate congressional control? How should Congress respond when oversight reveals systemic failures? My personal feelings aside, I am raising these questions for practical, not ideological reasons. The actions I'm seeing now erode public trust, disregard lawful process, and are irresponsible uses of federal resources. Oversight failures undermine all three. I respectfully request a written response addressing each of the questions above, so I can better understand how you are exercising your oversight responsibilities on behalf of constituents. Thank you for your time and for your service. I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.