The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued updated guidelines outlining how members of Congress and their staff can access Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities, including detention centers and field offices.
According to the new policy, congressional staff must now provide at least 24 hours’ notice before visiting ICE detention centers. Additionally, access to ICE field offices must be scheduled in advance, as these locations are not considered detention facilities and therefore fall outside of certain federal oversight provisions.
The change clarifies the interpretation of Section 527 of the FY2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which allows members of Congress to visit ICE detention centers without prior notice. However, DHS emphasizes that this exception does not apply to field offices, which are primarily used for administrative processing rather than housing detainees.
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