The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued new guidance for both congressional staff and members of Congress to access U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.
The updated protocol, released by ICE this week, requires congressional staff to provide a minimum of 24 hours’ advance notice before visiting ICE detention centers and mandates prior coordination for any visits to ICE field offices, which the agency says are not covered by congressional oversight protections under federal law.
While the new policy acknowledges that Section 527 of the FY2024 Appropriations Act protects lawmakers’ right to visit ICE detention facilities without notice, it outright blocks access to ICE field offices for members of Congress and congressional staff unless pre-approved by DHS….