Jayapal, Johnson, Williams, Foushee, Ross Statement on ICE’s Lies About Member Oversight

LUMPKIN, G.A. — U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Deborah Ross (NC-02), released the following statement regarding falsehoods put out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the Members oversight.

“Once again ICE is telling absolute lies. Although ICE is required under the law and court order to admit Members of Congress without any notice, we gave them two business days’ notice, plus two weekend days. ICE’s claim that we arrived an hour early is laughable. We started recording a two-minute video at a gas station 27 minutes away at 10:29 am. We arrived at the facility shortly after 11:00 am and entered at 11:10 am. Once we completed the inspection and met with detained people, we left the detention facility around 2:18 pm on our own accord to go to the immigration court, which has a separate entrance. We had previously made arrangements with an attorney to observe an Immigration Court hearing. As a reminder, the immigration courts are not controlled by ICE, but by a completely separate department. ICE tried to block us even though they have no jurisdiction over the courts. After about 20 minutes of waiting, they allowed us to enter the court and we observed the proceedings for approximately 20 minutes. We left at 3:09 pm and began a press conference outside the facility grounds at 3:20 pm.

“This is not the first time ICE has attempted to interfere with a congressional inspection and refused to answer basic questions about the number and demographics of the people in their custody — basic information we would expect ICE to have at their fingertips to ensure appropriate care and safety. Despite these challenges, we will not be deterred from doing our jobs to conduct oversight and hold ICE accountable.

“Under the Trump Administration, ICE has forced us to go to court to make them follow the law and facilitate congressional inspections. If they lie about these small things, imagine what they lie about for the big things.”

Issues: Immigration