Judge Permits DHS to Enforce Seven-Day Notice for Congressional Visits to ICE Facilities

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may enforce a policy requiring members of Congress to provide seven days' notice before visiting immigration detention facilities. This decision comes after DHS reintroduced the notice requirement, citing new funding sources.

Previously, Judge Jia Cobb had blocked a similar policy in December, stating it violated federal law. However, in her recent ruling, she noted that the revised policy, funded through the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," differs from the earlier version. She indicated that lawmakers could challenge the new policy by amending their complaint or filing a supplemental pleading.

The ruling follows an incident where Democratic Representatives Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison were denied access to an ICE detention center near Minneapolis earlier this month. They argued that the seven-day notice requirement hindered their ability to perform timely oversight.

In response to the ruling, Representative Joe Neguse emphasized the importance of unannounced inspections, stating, "The law is crystal-clear: the administration can't block members of Congress from conducting real-time oversight of immigration detention facilities."

This development is part of ongoing legal disputes over immigration enforcement practices. In Minnesota, the state's attorney general, Keith Ellison, has filed a lawsuit seeking to end what he describes as a "federal invasion" by ICE. The Justice Department has countered, arguing that the lawsuit challenges the supremacy of federal law enforcement.

Additionally, the Justice Department is appealing an injunction that limits ICE's use of aggressive tactics against protesters. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently acknowledged the use of chemical agents like pepper spray against demonstrators, stating they were necessary to "establish law and order."

These legal battles underscore the contentious nature of immigration enforcement and the balance between federal authority and congressional oversight.