House Dems Sue ICE For Blocking Oversight on Immigration Facilities

A dozen House Democrats sued Trump administration officials Wednesday, alleging that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has prevented them from conducting oversight on federal immigration detention facilities. 

The lawmakers, represented by Democracy Forward*, argued in their suit that the Trump administration is encroaching upon their constitutional authority to conduct oversight on the executive branch.

“Defendants have denied each Plaintiff crucial information needed to conduct oversight on at least one occasion—but in many instances on multiple occasions—by obstructing a requested or attempted oversight visit to a DHS facility where noncitizens are detained or otherwise housed,” the lawsuit alleged.

The lawsuit comes after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE’s parent agency, has taken steps to limit lawmakers’ ability to conduct oversight at its facilities amid allegations of inhumane and unsanitary conditions in ICE facilities.

Filed in U.S. District Court for D.C., the complaint demands that Trump officials comply with a federal law that prohibits DHS and its sub-agencies from denying members of Congress access to any facility it operates that’s used to hold undocumented immigrants when they are conducting oversight.

“The obstruction of Congressional oversight is not just an affront to the Constitution—it’s a threat to our democracy,” Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. 

Espaillat added that the Trump administration has created “the perfect storm for abuse and impunity” by putting internal watchdogs in executive branch agencies.

The Trump administration has not only denied lawmakers entry. It arrested and charged Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) when she was  attempting to conduct oversight on ICE facilities.

As a result of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts, ICE is holding a record number of people in facilities across the U.S.

Last month, it held almost 60,000 people, indicating that its facilities were 40% overcapacity, according to internal government data obtained by CBS News last month.

The record numbers have been accompanied by growing reports of mistreatment, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions inside facilities, including those that hold children.

*Democracy Docket Founder Marc Elias is the chair of Democracy Forward’s board.

This story has been updated with additional information.