Maryland lawmakers tour Baltimore ICE facility after allegations about inhumane conditions
A spokesperson for the agency said the lawmakers initially arrived without giving advanced notice and were denied a tour for the safety of those in custody and ICE employees.
Wednesday's tour comes after a federal class-action lawsuit criticized the conditions at the George H. Fallon federal building.
ICE has denied those allegations, saying the agency is "committed to enforcing immigration laws fairly, safely and humanely," and complies with federal laws and ICE policies.
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representatives Kweisi Mfume and Sarah Elfreth participated in a guided tour of the facility on Wednesday morning.
In June, the Amica Center and National Immigration Project filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of two women who were being held at the Baltimore ICE facility.
According to the lawsuit, the women were held for long periods in "inhumane" holding rooms, which allegedly violate ICE policies.
The lawsuit claimed ICE detainees can only be held for 12 hours in holding facilities. However, during a hearing in July, the Department of Justice argued that the lawsuit was incorrect.
Other immigration advocates have also raised concerns about conditions at the Baltimore ICE facility.
In March, the Amica Center and the nonprofit CASA held a rally where attendees criticized the size of the holding rooms, the lack of medical staff and the lack of a food service contract.
The agency responded to those allegations in a statement saying, "ICE Baltimore operates a holding room, not a detention facility, and therefore is not subject to the standards outlined in the 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards."
ICE also said its Health Service Corps is on site to provide necessary medical services.
"In the event of a medical emergency, detainees are promptly transported to nearby hospitals to receive immediate and appropriate care," the agency said.
In July, the lawmakers claimed their initial plans to visit the facility in July were "unlawfully denied."
"This does not bode well here in Baltimore or anywhere if members of the United States Congress, who are duly authorized to come in and to inspect, visit, or walk through a federal facility, are not allowed in," said Mfume, who is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
In response, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted on social media, saying the lawmakers should have scheduled a tour at least one week in advance.
"Congressman, if you need a photo op with the violent criminal illegal aliens you are protecting, schedule a TOUR," the DHS posted on X.
In late July, 12 Democratic Congressmembers filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming there was an effort to limit access to detention centers that hold immigrants.
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md) was among the leaders who joined the lawsuit. In the lawsuit, leaders alleged that the Trump administration is blocking their attempts to enter ICE detention centers and delaying plans to inspect the facilities.
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