Congress Must Rein In ICE's Illegal Detention Practices

Congress needs to immediately rein in ICE's mass detention operations. Federal judges have issued over 7,000 rulings in recent months finding that ICE illegally detained migrants without giving them the chance to prove they could safely remain in their communities during proceedings. The administration has been so overwhelmed by legal challenges that its own lawyers are regularly agreeing to bond hearings or immediate release, admitting they lack legal opinions or documentation to justify the detentions. More than 68,000 people sat in ICE detention as of early February, most without prior criminal convictions. Many have been held for prolonged periods based on a legal theory that hundreds of federal judges have rejected. Between January and mid-February 2025, migrants filed 300 to 400 emergency habeas corpus petitions every day because ICE refused to provide basic due process. This isn't just a legal failure. The Minnesota operation ended with two U.S. citizens shot dead by federal agents. ICE is arresting over 1,000 people per day while building massive new detention facilities in conservative states, signaling plans to expand operations despite consistent court losses. Congress has the power to defund these illegal detention practices and require ICE to follow the law. Use it.