DHS Divided Over Lawmakers’ ICE Facility Access Rights \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Top DHS officials offered conflicting views over congressional access to a New Jersey immigration detention center after an incident involving federal agents and lawmakers. ICE’s acting chief affirmed Congress’s legal right to unannounced inspections, while DHS Secretary Kristi Noem accused lawmakers of staging a political stunt. The controversy follows the arrest of Newark’s mayor outside the facility.
Quick Looks
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem called lawmakers’ visit a political stunt.
- ICE Director Todd Lyons said Congress can inspect detention centers.
- Three NJ lawmakers and Newark’s mayor attempted an unannounced visit.
- Mayor Ras Baraka arrested, later charged with trespassing by prosecutors.
- Lawmakers say ICE blocked access and delayed oversight efforts.
- ICE confirmed nine detainee deaths this year, all under review.
- The agency is a core piece of Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
- Republicans plan major funding boosts for detention and removal efforts.
- ICE has open beds at military facilities like Fort Bliss.
- Deportation backlogs blamed on airplane shortages and court delays.
Deep Look
DHS Officials Clash on Congressional Oversight After Lawmakers, Newark Mayor Blocked from ICE Visit
An escalating controversy over congressional oversight of U.S. immigration enforcement facilities reached a boiling point Wednesday as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leaders delivered differing views in separate Capitol Hill hearings. The discord stems from a recent confrontation at a New Jersey ICE detention center, where federal agents arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and allegedly obstructed members of Congress from entering the facility.
The incident occurred on May 9 at Delaney Hall, a 1,000-bed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Newark. Three Democratic representatives — LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Robert Menendez Jr. — were accompanying Mayor Baraka in what they described as an unannounced oversight visit. The lawmakers say they were acting within their legal rights to inspect the facility and speak to detainees.
Conflicting DHS Messages
During separate committee hearings Wednesday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons presented contrasting narratives.
“What happened on May 9 was not oversight. It was a political stunt,” Noem said in her opening remarks. She later doubled down in a DHS press release, accusing the lawmakers of attempting to “storm” the facility and issuing a “reminder” about visitation procedures.
In contrast, ICE’s Lyons acknowledged Congress’s authority to inspect detention facilities without prior notice. “We do acknowledge that any member of Congress has the right to show up for an inspection at one of our facilities in their oversight capability,” he said, adding that lawmakers must show ID, undergo screening, and cannot bring contraband.
By law, members of Congress are permitted unannounced visits to ICE facilities, though their staff must give 24 hours’ notice.
Newark Mayor Arrested
The confrontation escalated when agents arrested Mayor Ras Baraka outside the facility’s fence. Baraka, who is running for governor of New Jersey, was charged with trespassing after reportedly ignoring multiple orders to leave. Video from the scene shows a tense standoff between federal agents—some wearing masks—and the visiting delegation.
Speaking to CNN, Rep. Watson Coleman insisted the lawmakers were within their rights and described the ICE response as evasive. “We were there almost two hours before the confrontation took place,” she said, noting that ICE repeatedly delayed their access under the guise of needing additional approval.
According to her spokesperson, the delegation opted for an unannounced visit to carry out real-time oversight, not a staged or pre-approved tour.
ICE’s Role in Trump’s Deportation Strategy
The clash comes as President Donald Trump ramps up immigration enforcement plans in his second term. ICE and DHS are central to his goal of deporting 1 million people per year.
Todd Lyons defended the agency’s renewed capacity under Trump’s leadership, saying ICE agents were now able to fulfill their roles. “We’re targeting the worst of the worst,” he said, referencing daily arrest reports that emphasize detaining convicted criminals and suspected gang members. Critics argue, however, that ICE’s enforcement has increasingly included individuals with no criminal records.
So far this year, ICE has reported nine detainee deaths in custody. Lyons said all are under investigation, as required by policy.
Billions Planned for Expanded Enforcement
Republicans in Congress are moving forward with aggressive immigration funding proposals. The GOP plan includes:
- Funding for 10,000 additional ICE officers and investigators
- Expanding detention capacity to 100,000 beds nationwide
- Annual deportation target of 1 million people
- Greater use of military bases, like Fort Bliss, to house detainees
Lyons confirmed that Fort Bliss currently holds 69 detainees, with 3,500 beds available. Funding for housing immigrants at military facilities would come from the Department of Defense, he noted.
Logistical Bottlenecks and Backlogs
Lyons also pointed to logistical challenges in scaling up deportation operations. He cited a shortage of aircraft and charter companies for removals, as well as the need for more ICE attorneys to address backlogs in immigration courts.
“We need more resources not just in enforcement but in the legal system,” Lyons said, suggesting that streamlining deportation cases is just as critical as physical infrastructure.
Oversight or Optics?
The incident at Delaney Hall and the clash in rhetoric between Noem and Lyons has reignited the debate over how oversight is exercised—and when political lines are crossed. Critics of the lawmakers say the confrontation was timed for maximum media exposure. Supporters argue it was a necessary response to a growing lack of transparency within ICE facilities.
What remains clear is that the federal government’s handling of immigration enforcement—and congressional efforts to monitor it—will continue to be a flashpoint in an increasingly divided political landscape.
DHS Divided Over DHS Divided Over DHS Divided Over
You must Register or Login to post a comment.