DHS/ICE must honor Congressional Oversight under the Consolidations Appropriations Act

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE must uphold its constitutional obligation to respect Congressional oversight authority. Denying lawmakers access to immigration detention facilities operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement undermines transparency and accountability. Unimpeded visits by members of Congress to these sites are critical for assessing conditions, ensuring humane treatment of detainees, and maintaining proper checks and balances on executive branch agencies. Obstructing such scrutiny erodes public trust and raises troubling questions about what policies and practices ICE may be concealing from elected representatives of the people. Congressional monitoring helps safeguard the rights of those in federal custody. DHS should promptly reverse this misguided decision and facilitate lawmaker inspections to allow proper oversight as required by the Consolidated Appropriations Acts.