Maryland Lawmakers Denied Access Baltimore ICE Facility Amid Mistreatment Claims

Several Maryland Democratic lawmakers, including Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks and Reps. Kweisi Mfume, Glenn Ivey, Johnny Olszewski Jr., and Sarah Elfreth, were denied entry to an ICE detention facility in Baltimore while attempting to conduct an oversight visit amid reports of detainee mistreatment. The officials protested outside the facility, with Mfume calling the denial a violation of federal law that grants Congress inspection rights. The detention center faces a federal lawsuit alleging inhumane conditions such as prolonged confinement in windowless rooms and denial of basic needs like food and medication. Lawmakers characterized the detainees as their constituents and expressed frustration over the Trump administration's pattern of blocking congressional oversight on immigration detention centers. Maryland Democrats staged a sit-in to protest their exclusion and the alleged poor treatment of migrants in custody, highlighting that many detainees have no criminal records. The lawmakers emphasized their legal authority and responsibility to ensure humane treatment and transparency within the facility.