Trump Admin. Bars Democrats from Visiting ICE Detention Centers During Gov’t Shutdown

By Staff, Agencies

The Trump administration has barred Democratic members of Congress from visiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] detention centers during the ongoing government shutdown, arguing that the agency lacks sufficient staff to coordinate such visits.

The move comes as ICE continues nationwide raids and detentions, even as oversight efforts grind to a halt. According to a Politico report on Monday, the agency claims that limited operational capacity during the shutdown prevents it from facilitating congressional inspections of its facilities.

Democrats, however, have condemned the decision as a calculated attempt to conceal abuses. “ICE wants to operate in the dark, and this president wants to let them,” said Rep. LaMonica McIver of New Jersey in a statement shared with NOTUS.

“Trump and Republicans are using the shutdown that they caused as an excuse to give ICE coverage to operate without oversight,” McIver continued. “It’s wrong and it’s not what happens in a democracy.”

McIver herself faces federal charges stemming from a confrontation with officers outside a New Jersey detention center in May. She has pleaded not guilty to assaulting federal officers and denies any wrongdoing.

For years, congressional visits have been one of the few direct ways lawmakers could monitor detention facilities—many of which have been criticized for overcrowding, poor medical care, and abuse of detainees. Earlier this year, the Department of "Homeland Security" cut staff responsible for immigration oversight, further weakening accountability mechanisms.

Justice Department officials told a federal judge on October 21 that funding for detention centers comes from the tax cut and spending package passed earlier in 2025, meaning it is not covered by the funding streams that grant Congress oversight authority during the shutdown.

Several lawmakers have already been turned away from federal facilities. Rep. Marc Veasey said ICE officials denied him entry to a processing center in Dallas on October 20, while Reps. Juan Vargas and Scott Peters were blocked from visiting a basement detention site in a San Diego courthouse, Vargas confirmed on X.

The 2025 fiscal year has been among the deadliest on record for ICE detainees, with 21 immigrants dying in custody.

As of now, ICE has not responded to media inquiries regarding the ban on congressional oversight visits.