Overview

• Twelve House Democrats filed a federal lawsuit in Washington, D.C., on July 30 challenging a DHS policy that imposes a seven-day advance notice requirement for visits to ICE field offices and detention centers.
• The complaint argues the rule conflicts with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which grants members of Congress the authority to inspect DHS facilities without prior notice for oversight purposes.
• The suit names the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Secretary Kristi Noem and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons as defendants and seeks to restore immediate access to all ICE sites.
• On July 28, Maryland Democrats, including Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, staged a sit-in at the Baltimore ICE field office after Acting Director Nikita Baker denied them entry under the new guidance.
• DHS has defended the notice requirement as necessary to protect the President’s constitutional authority, with Secretary Noem posting mugshots of detainees and warning that shorter notice requests must receive her approval.