A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked Department of Homeland Security guidance that placed new limits on members of Congress seeking to visit and inspect immigration detention facilities.
Judge Jia M. Cobb of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colombia sided with Democratic lawmakers, in an opinion that found the Trump administration policy that effectively required members of Congress to give a seven-day notice before making a visit is likely “contrary to law and in excess of DHS’s statutory authority.”
“Congress not only prohibited DHS and ICE from preventing Members of Congress from entering covered ICE facilities upon request, but also from making temporary modifications that would alter what a visiting Member sees when they visit,” Cobb wrote, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
