Democrats Sue Trump, DHS Over ICE Facility Access

Twelve Democratic members of Congress have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, naming DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Director Todd Lyons as defendants. The lawsuit alleges that a new Department of Homeland Security policy unlawfully blocks lawmakers' legal right under a 2019 federal law to conduct unannounced oversight visits at Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities. The new policy requires seven days' advance notice and limits access to certain field offices, which plaintiffs argue deliberately hinders congressional investigations into overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, medical neglect, and mistreatment of detainees. Lawmakers report being denied entry to facilities in their own districts, citing the urgency of oversight amid a record number of detainees and rising deaths. ICE and DHS have not responded to requests for comment on the suit. The case underscores heightened tensions over transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement.