House Democrats returned to federal court on Monday after the Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, quietly revived a policy that effectively blocks unannounced congressional oversight visits to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities.
The dispute centers on whether members of Congress can conduct so called "drop in" inspections of ICE facilities without advance notice. In a July 2025 lawsuit, a group of House Democrats argued that ICE had unlawfully required lawmakers to give advance notice before touring detention sites and certain offices, interfering with Congress's oversight responsibilities.
