Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)
Goldman and Numerous Other Congressmembers Have Been Illegally Denied Access to ICE Field Offices Used to House Immigrants in Inhumane Conditions
Letter Follows ICE Turning Goldman Away from the 26 Federal Plaza Field Office in Lower Manhattan, Despite Staff Admitting Its Use for Immigrant Detention
During Congressmen Goldman and Nadler’s oversight visit to the ICE Field Office at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday, Deputy Field Director Bill Joyce confirmed that immigrants housed on the 10th floor were being forced to sleep on benches, floors, and in bathrooms for multiple days. Despite admitting that the facility was being used to detain migrants for several days at a time, Joyce barred the lawmakers from accessing the area, citing administration guidance.
The letter was signed by Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-11), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), and Yvette Clarke (NY-09).
Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:
We write to express alarm about the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) continued obstruction of lawful congressional oversight visits, including recent denials of access to ICE field offices being used to house immigrants, such as the one located at 26 Federal Plaza in New York City. These denials are not only indefensible, but they are also a clear violation of current law.
“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Homeland Security by this Act may be used to prevent…a Member of Congress…from entering, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security used to detain or otherwise house aliens.”
On June 18, in the process of denying a request by Congressmen Dan Goldman and Jerry Nadler to observe the ICE facilities where immigrants are being housed, New York Deputy Field Director Bill Joyce confirmed that individuals are in fact held – without beds – at 26 Federal Plaza for multiple days.
When individuals are deprived of their liberty in a secure facility for multiple days, they are unquestionably being “detained” or “housed” under the plain language of Section 527(a). And the facility need not be designated as a “detention facility;” rather, the plain language of the statute refers to a facility “used” to detain or house immigrants. By ICE’s own admission, the Field Office at 26 Federal Plaza is being “used” to “house” immigrants.
Thus, any and all attempts to deny or delay such access violate the law and obstruct our constitutional duty to conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. Congressmen Goldman and Nadler should therefore have been permitted to conduct their oversight duties to observe the circumstances and conditions of detention of the non-violent, non-criminal immigrants who are being snatched out of court proceedings in order to be quickly deported without due process.
Congressional oversight is essential to bring transparency to the conduct of the Department of Homeland Security. Given the overaggressive and excessive force used to handcuff and detain elected officials in public, DHS’s refusal to allow members of Congress to observe the conditions for immigrants behind closed doors begs the obvious question: what are you hiding?
Accordingly, we demand that you do the following no later than June 30, 2025:
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Immediately rescind all guidance or instructions suggesting that ICE field offices are exempt from Section 527 oversight.
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Reaffirm that Members of Congress are legally entitled to conduct unannounced oversight visits to any facility where people are detained or housed by or for DHS, including field offices where immigrants are kept overnight.
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Direct all ICE field offices and relevant personnel to comply with Section 527 and facilitate congressional access consistent with current law.
Your cooperation, or lack thereof, will determine whether the Department of Homeland Security is committed to transparency and upholding the law with integrity or to secrecy and obstruction of congressional oversight.
We look forward to your prompt and forthright response.
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