Overview
- Reps. Juan Vargas, Scott Peters, Mike Levin and Sara Jacobs, joined by Sen. Alex Padilla, were turned away for a second time from the Edward J. Schwartz courthouse basement area they sought to inspect.
- In a filing to U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, ICE and DOJ argued that Section 527’s on-demand access requirement no longer applies because detention operations are funded under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
- ICE emails to congressional offices returned automated notices stating the Office of Congressional Relations is unavailable during the shutdown and that requests will be reviewed once funding resumes.
- Lawmakers cited reports of people held in subpar conditions without adequate legal access or medical care, while DHS denied overcrowding and spoiled food allegations and said detainee welfare remains a priority.
- Members noted federal law generally permits congressional entry to DHS detention sites and said they satisfied a seven-day notice policy, yet local officials refused access pending approval from Washington.