Reps.  García, Davis, Ramirez, Jackson Inspect Broadview ICE Processing Center 

CHICAGO —Today  Federal Representatives Danny K. Davis (IL-07),  Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), and Jonathan Jackson (IL-01) returned to the ICE Processing Center at Broadview, Illinois for an oversight visit.  A federal court confirmed on December 17 that the Trump Administration cannot block Members of Congress from conducting oversight at immigration detention facilities. The Representatives were joined at a press conference by Erendira Rendon, Vice President for Immigrant Justice at The Resurrection Project (TRP) and Artemio Arreola, Political Director at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR).  A video of the press conference can be watched here.

The inspection by the Members of Congress confirmed what they have been hearing from advocates about the center — four detention cells, insufficient sanitary services, no privacy, no medical and mental health services, a place that was not created to keep people overnight.

“We are responding to the needs of our constituents who have called our offices, and they don’t know what happens to their relatives when they are in this detention center,” said Congressman Davis, who represents the district where the Broadview ICE processing center is located. “The court said we are the representatives of the people and that’s why we are here. Our role is to serve and protect the people of our district and that’s what I’ve done all my life and I’m not going to stop now.”

“A federal court reaffirmed what should never have been questioned—that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security cannot block Members of Congress from inspecting facilities funded by the American people. What we saw today confirms why oversight is urgent. It’s a system designed to wear people down rather than process them humanely,” said Congressman García. “What we witnessed reflects a system that treats human beings as inventory. This is already the deadliest period on record for people in ICE custody.Blocking oversight does not protect public safety. Detention on this scale is inherently dehumanizing.”

“Today’s visit is about people, not politics. Inside this facility are mothers and fathers,

workers, and family members who are being held away from their loved ones — many for civil immigration matters, not crimes. Oversight matters because conditions inside these walls affect real human lives: whether someone gets medical care when they’re sick, whether they can speak to their attorney, whether they are treated with dignity,” said Congressman Jackson. “Being allowed inside means we can see for ourselves, listen directly, and make sure our government is living up to its responsibility to treat every person in its custody with basic decency and respect.”

“Under Kristi Noem's leadership, ICE has spent billions of dollars on their unlawful, unaccountable, unconstitutional campaign of terror. There is irrefutable evidence that ICE has held our neighbors, including children and pregnant women, in inhumane conditions in ICE facilities, where they have gone without access to their medication, legal counsel, or basic necessities. Oversight of DHS and ICE facilities is every Member's constitutional right and duty to pursue. And a federal court has granted Members of Congress a court order to do just that.” said Congresswoman Ramirez, who serves on the Homeland Security Committee. “Today’s successful oversight visit to the ICE Processing Center at Broadview is a win for our communities and a necessary first step in holding the Administration accountable for their lawlessness and cruelty. We will not allow DHS to violate our rights, undermine due process, and tear our communities apart. We will continue to fight in Congress, in the courts and in the streets. For my constituents, our neighbors, and our country, I will continue to hold Kristi Noem accountable for her abuses of power and ensure her impeachable offenses are investigated.”

“The decision by DHS to finally allow Congressional oversight is a positive step, it doesn’t do much to shine light on what our detained community members are going through right now,” said Erendira Rendón, Vice President of Immigrant Justice at the Resurrection Project. “People are still being grabbed off the street and transferred across the country, ripped from their families and denied the legal counsel they have a right to. The Resurrection Project is committed to keep fighting for the rights of all immigrants until all of the people who have been stolen from our communities are released and reunited with their loved ones.”   

“We will continue working with these representatives and their colleagues to reunite families. Immigrant communities are demanding real solutions and accountability. ICIRR and our partners will continue to demand accountability and transparency,” said Artemio Arreola, Political Director for ICIRR. “We will continue to demand an end to ICE’s violence, regardless of who is in office. We demand an end to detention, an end to raids, and an end to deportations.”

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In June, the Members paid an unannounced visit to the Broadview Processing Center after receiving reports that it was being used to unlawfully detain immigrants, contrary to city and state ordinances. The Members were denied entry, even after identifying themselves with their official Congressional voting cards.  

In September, they sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons demanding answers on the conditions, capacity, and basic services for immigrants held at the Broadview ICE Processing Center in Illinois. They never received a response.