DHS Reminds Congressional Members of ICE’s Guidelines to Schedule Tours of ICE Detention Facilities

There was no need for Congressional members to storm Delaney Hall—they could have just scheduled a tour

WASHINGTON – After members of Congress broke into Delaney Hall and assaulted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, the Department of Homeland Security is reminding Congressional offices of ICE’s facility visitation guidelines.

“Members of Congress cannot break the law in the name of ‘oversight.’ Secretary Noem respects congresses oversight authority and is always willing to accommodate Members seeking to visit ICE detention facilities,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “However, they are not above the law. All members and staff need to comply with facility rules, procedures, and instructions from ICE personnel on site for their own safety, the safety of the detainees, and the safety of ICE employees. If these three members had simply asked for a tour, these three congressional members would have been easily allowed into Delaney Hall and would not have had to resort to assaulting law enforcement to enter the facility.”

Despite these Congressional members storming Delaney Hall and assaulting officers, they were still given a tour of the facility.

Below are a few highlights of ICE’s guidance – which ensure the safety of all agents, visitors, and inmates:

• ICE will comply with the law and accommodate Members of Congress seeking to visit/tour an ICE detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight.
• If Members and/or Congressional staff would like to meet with a specific detainee or set of detainees, please provide names, alien registration numbers, and valid, signed privacy releases with your request. If Members and/or Congressional staff would like to meet with non-specific detainees, a minimum of 48-hours advanced notice is needed for the facility to post sign-up sheets, identify detainees who wish to participate (if any), and execute required privacy waivers.
• Safety, security, and good order are always primary considerations in a detention facility, and visitors must be properly identified and attired.
• All visitors are subject to search upon entering the facility and at any other time during the tour.
• Introduction of contraband or other criminal violations may lead to criminal prosecution of a visitor.

Members of Congress and their staff are invited to read the full guidance and schedule a tour of any ICE facility.

###