Outrage as DHS moves to restrict lawmaker visits to detention centers
GuardianJUN 20
New ICE Policy Limits Congressional Access to Facilities
Above: Law enforcement stands guard at the ICE Delaney Hall Detention Center in New Jersey. Image copyright: Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
ICE officers have endured a dangerous surge in assaults, disruptions, and obstructions by politicians who are clearly more interested in creating viral moments than conducting legitimate oversight. These new restrictions will allow the agency to protect the safety of officers, detainees, and facilities, while still accommodating congressional visits through proper channels.
Democratic narrative
The Trump administration is deliberately violating constitutional checks and balances in order to hide inhumane conditions at facilities where migrants, and even U.S. citizens, are being held for days without proper access to attorneys or basic necessities. No agency is above oversight, and ICE's ever-changing justifications prove it has something to hide.