DHS restricts congressional visits to ICE facilities in Minneapolis with new policy
NPR••general
Key Points:
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) blocked three Minnesota congresswomen from visiting an ICE detention facility in Minneapolis, citing a new visitation policy requiring seven days' advance notice for visits funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
- Under federal law, members of Congress have the right to make unannounced visits to ICE detention centers funded by regular appropriations, but DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's January memo argues this does not apply to facilities funded by the reconciliation bill.
- The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed last summer with Republican support, allocated approximately $45 billion for immigration detention centers and related ICE operations, which DHS uses to justify the new visitation restrictions.
- The blocked visit occurred amid heightened tensions following the shooting death
