[LWVNM Action] DHS tightened protocol for Congressional lawmakers visits to detention facilities

[Meredith Machen]

Roll Call 6/18/25 article on this new situation linked below.

New regulations promulgated by DHS yesterday are attached.
—
Currently many more than the 50,000 detainees in
January 2025
are in custody in federal and private prisons. ICE raids and apprehensions
include many with no criminal records who have been caught up because of
the executive orders to detain all non citizens including those who have
temporary legal status and whether they have committed crimes or not. The
President’s goal is for ICE  is to detain 3000 people each day (and to
deport many of them.)

(Unauthorized entry to the United States is a misdemeanor not a crime.)

Members of Congress have long had the legal right to visit ICE facilities,
but now they have severe restrictions and may not have any staff with them.

Many facilities are not complying with required performance standards for
“safe, secure, and humane confinement.”

Detainees often experience lack of access or substandard access to medical
care, healthy food and clean water, sanitation, and the ability to
communicate with legal representatives.

DOGE eliminated the  Office of the Detention Ombudsman earlier this year.
Congress got a report from the non partisan Government Accountability
Office in May 2025 outlining several recommendations to improve conditions
and oversight.

https://rollcall.com/2025/06/18/dhs-tightens-protocol-for-lawmaker-visits-to-immigration-facilities/
DHS tightens protocol for lawmaker visits to immigration facilities .
Roll Call is non partisan.

Meredith Ross Machen
505-577-6337
Meredith.machen at gmail.com
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