Twelve Democratic lawmakers are hauling the Trump administration into court, accusing it of shutting them out of immigration detention centers that they say desperately need federal oversight.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., targets a policy introduced by the Department of Homeland Security that demands seven days’ notice for congressional visits—and bars access altogether to certain sites, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field offices. The plaintiffs call this a direct assault on their constitutional role.
At the heart of the challenge: lawmakers say unannounced visits are critical for exposing poor treatment inside ICE-run facilities, where reports of overcrowding, neglect, and unsafe conditions have become routine. They argue that a 2019 law mandates congressional access, and that this new policy tramples both that law and basic checks on executive power.
“This is not just about a policy dispute—it’s about defending the very structure of American democracy,” said Representative Joe Neguse of Colorado, who is leading the charge. “Blocking elected officials from inspecting detention centers is not only unlawful, it’s dangerous.”
The suit names DHS, ICE, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and acting ICE director Todd Lyons as defendants. DHS declined to comment on the litigation.
The twelve lawmakers bringing the case hail from California, Colorado, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, and Texas. Among them: Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus; Bennie Thompson, ranking member of the Homeland Security Committee; and Jamie Raskin, top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee.
The case—*Neguse et al. v. ICE et al.*, D.C. District Court, No. 25-02463—marks a new legal front in the deepening battle over immigration oversight and executive authority.
