BROADVIEW, Ill. (AP) — Four Illinois Democrats toured a federal immigration center outside Chicago on Monday, the latest members of Congress allowed inside immigration facilities after a judge last week lifted Trump administration limits on lawmaker visits.
Six months after they were denied access, U.S. Reps. Danny Davis, Delia Ramirez, Jonathan Jackson, and Jesús “Chuy” Garcia entered the immigration processing center in suburban Broadview. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, criticized as a de facto detention center with inhumane conditions, has been at the forefront of an immigration crackdown resulting in more than 4,000 arrests in the Chicago area.
The Associated Press observed the lawmakers enter the boarded-up brick building after talking to a masked official at the door and then leave about an hour later.
“We wanted to test whether or not there would be a violation of a court order reaffirming that we have the right to be here at any time for any reason, without advance notice,” Garcia said afterward.
A federal judge last week temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing policies that limit congressional visits to immigration facilities. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by 12 members of Congress who sued in Washington, D.C. to challenge ICE’s amended visitor policies after they were denied entry to detention facilities.
After their visit, the Illinois lawmakers reported that Monday seemed like an atypical day with only two people in custody. A day earlier there had been 20, according to Garcia.
During the height of the immigration crackdown dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” more than 150 people were held at the facility, many for days at a time, according to congressmen, attorneys, and activists. Conditions at the center have prompted numerous complaints, a lawsuit, and a court-ordered visit by a judge, as Illinois does not have an immigration detention center.
Since then, immigration officials have stated they’ve made changes, ensuring those held at the Broadview center have access to hot meals and legal counsel. ICE has rejected assertions that the processing center is used for detention.
While the Illinois Democrats noted improvements, they raised concerns about toilets without adequate privacy, few showers, and the absence of medical staff on site.
“This visit will not end our responsibility. We will follow up,” Jackson stated. “We will be back and we’ll demand answers.”
Ramirez expressed concern regarding the lack of a medical professional present, notably after the death of a 56-year-old man found unresponsive at an ICE facility in Michigan. ICE officials suggested he had likely died of natural causes, with the official cause remaining under investigation.
Since the ruling, House members elsewhere have also visited ICE facilities. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, inspected the Broadview facility on Friday and reported that the practice of holding individuals overnight appeared to have ceased for the meantime.
In New York, U.S. Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat visited an ICE holding facility on Friday and reported concerning conditions with immigrants being held up to three days without access to showers and proper beds.
“The Trump administration’s obsession with hitting an arbitrary — and unrealistic — number of deportations is creating a humanitarian crisis,” Espaillat stated.
In Illinois, the Trump administration has imposed strict controls on access to the Broadview facility, prohibiting attorneys, family members of those arrested, and journalists. At one point, federal authorities built a fence around the building as protests surged and confrontations with federal agents intensified.
Separately, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood expressed concerns after visiting the Broadview facility late last month. She highlighted issues related to conditions, staffing, and record keeping. No arrestees were present during her visit, which coincided with a scheduled security system video camera update. A message left for ICE seeking comments was not immediately returned.
Six months after they were denied access, U.S. Reps. Danny Davis, Delia Ramirez, Jonathan Jackson, and Jesús “Chuy” Garcia entered the immigration processing center in suburban Broadview. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, criticized as a de facto detention center with inhumane conditions, has been at the forefront of an immigration crackdown resulting in more than 4,000 arrests in the Chicago area.
The Associated Press observed the lawmakers enter the boarded-up brick building after talking to a masked official at the door and then leave about an hour later.
“We wanted to test whether or not there would be a violation of a court order reaffirming that we have the right to be here at any time for any reason, without advance notice,” Garcia said afterward.
A federal judge last week temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing policies that limit congressional visits to immigration facilities. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by 12 members of Congress who sued in Washington, D.C. to challenge ICE’s amended visitor policies after they were denied entry to detention facilities.
After their visit, the Illinois lawmakers reported that Monday seemed like an atypical day with only two people in custody. A day earlier there had been 20, according to Garcia.
During the height of the immigration crackdown dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” more than 150 people were held at the facility, many for days at a time, according to congressmen, attorneys, and activists. Conditions at the center have prompted numerous complaints, a lawsuit, and a court-ordered visit by a judge, as Illinois does not have an immigration detention center.
Since then, immigration officials have stated they’ve made changes, ensuring those held at the Broadview center have access to hot meals and legal counsel. ICE has rejected assertions that the processing center is used for detention.
While the Illinois Democrats noted improvements, they raised concerns about toilets without adequate privacy, few showers, and the absence of medical staff on site.
“This visit will not end our responsibility. We will follow up,” Jackson stated. “We will be back and we’ll demand answers.”
Ramirez expressed concern regarding the lack of a medical professional present, notably after the death of a 56-year-old man found unresponsive at an ICE facility in Michigan. ICE officials suggested he had likely died of natural causes, with the official cause remaining under investigation.
Since the ruling, House members elsewhere have also visited ICE facilities. U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, inspected the Broadview facility on Friday and reported that the practice of holding individuals overnight appeared to have ceased for the meantime.
In New York, U.S. Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat visited an ICE holding facility on Friday and reported concerning conditions with immigrants being held up to three days without access to showers and proper beds.
“The Trump administration’s obsession with hitting an arbitrary — and unrealistic — number of deportations is creating a humanitarian crisis,” Espaillat stated.
In Illinois, the Trump administration has imposed strict controls on access to the Broadview facility, prohibiting attorneys, family members of those arrested, and journalists. At one point, federal authorities built a fence around the building as protests surged and confrontations with federal agents intensified.
Separately, U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood expressed concerns after visiting the Broadview facility late last month. She highlighted issues related to conditions, staffing, and record keeping. No arrestees were present during her visit, which coincided with a scheduled security system video camera update. A message left for ICE seeking comments was not immediately returned.
