A dozen House Democrats filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking to open up Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities for oversight visits, arguing that federal law requires members of Congress to have unfettered access to immigration facilities.
The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., argues that the Department of Homeland Security has been broadly blocking access to real-time inspection of the facilities, a policy now formalized in guidance that requires at least seven days’ advance notice of a visit.
The group argued that for years Congress has included provisions in spending law requiring that DHS allow congressional access to its facilities — which the department has since violated.
