On June 18, U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia was one of four congressmen denied entry to a Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Broadview.
Garcia said the visit was prompted by reports that the center was unlawfully being used against city and state ordinances as a detention center, where migrants are being denied access to their attorneys and held in inhumane and unsanitary conditions, sleeping on the floor, and without complete meals.
Under appropriation laws, Members of Congress have the authority to enter any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security used to detain or otherwise house people without advance notice.
“We came to this center today and respectfully asked to be allowed to conduct an oversight visit, but were denied entry. Last week, about 200 people received texts and emails ordering them to report to this processing center and then were detained,” said García. “Some families were told to come to the processing center on a day when families should have been celebrating Father’s Day. But with the cruelty that has characterized this administration, their children found themselves not knowing where their dads were or when they would see them again. These are not criminals. These are hard working people who are contributing to our country.”
The congressmen were told they needed to make a request with ICE first.
“There is no regulation that requires us to give a prior announcement or to schedule an appointment,” García told a masked agent who came out to greet them through the gate. “We are here by our authority (as members of Congress) and we seek a meeting and an inspection of this facility.”
“I respect your request, but these are the instructions that we have,” the agent responded. The agent, who was wearing a White Sox hat, black sunglasses and a black facemask, walked away after García asked him to identify himself.
A short moment later, an agent inside the facility posted a notice on the door: “When planning to visit an ICE facility, ICE asks for requests to be submitted at least 72 hours in advance.”
In the wake of those events, the Southwest News-Herald interviewed Garcia regarding ICE.
Q: Will you try again to visit ICE facilities?
Yes. As a Member of Congress, one of my core responsibilities is to conduct oversight, especially regarding facilities funded by taxpayer dollars. If public money is being used for these facilities, we need to ensure it is not being used to violate people’s civil and human rights. There are credible reports of abuse happening inside ICE facilities. This is not my first time attempting to visit an ICE center, and it will not be the last.
Q: Do you know of any local residents who have been picked up by ICE?
One of my constituents who was in the U.S. under a legal protection program was detained by ICE. He happened to also be an organ donor for his brother, and his detention risked his ability to save his brother. In the past, someone in that situation would’ve been released on humanitarian grounds without question. Thanks to the efforts of immigrant advocates and my office, he was released, and the life-saving surgery will move forward. We continue working closely with lawyers and advocacy organizations to assist others who have been unjustly detained.
Another constituent was apprehended and detained at this facility, despite being a U.S. citizen and having his social security card on hand. We continue working closely with advocacy organizations to assist others who have been unjustly detained as well.
Q: Should any ICE or DHS agents be allowed to wear masks?
We have seen a disturbing pattern: ICE and DHS agents wearing masks, refusing to show warrants, and forcefully detaining people on the streets and even in courtrooms. These agents should clearly display identifications and insignias, and they should be banned from covering their faces to shield themselves from accountability. We must demand transparency and accountability and not accept these facilities to be run like black sites. The Trump administration is ignoring due process and violating constitutional rights.
Q: Should troops be used to assist ICE?
The U.S. military should never be used for domestic law enforcement. The Constitution — and laws like the Posse Comitatus Act make that clear. Deploying troops against immigrant communities is dangerous political theater. Trump is trying to distract the public from his “big, ugly bill” and the fact that it may be in trouble in the Senate — a bill that hands more to the rich by slashing healthcare and nutrition for working families. This kind of militarization is a warning sign. It’s a significant step towards authoritarian control of our country, and we must reject it before it spreads to other communities.