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Harder Rebukes Stockton ICE Site After Oversight Visit, Citing Cramped Holding and Unanswered Policy Questions

He vows to pursue tougher oversight in Washington, including leadership accountability at DHS.

Overview

  • Rep. Josh Harder toured the Stockton ICE facility Thursday and said cramped rooms used to hold people for up to 72 hours violate basic standards of decency.
  • He reported that ICE and DHS staff would not answer questions on use-of-force policies, agents’ masking, body cameras, access to counsel, or current and planned operations.
  • State and local officials said detainees were cleared before the tour, and CBS reported no one was detained at the site at the time, raising transparency concerns.
  • Harder said he will push to remove DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and called for banning masks for agents, mandating body cameras, and setting clear use-of-force rules.
  • California’s State Senate passed SB-747 to allow state prosecution of violations by federal or local agents, volunteers continue a community check-in booth outside the site, and ICE/DHS did not respond to requests for comment.