Judge Blocks ICE Policy Requiring Advance Notice for Congressional Visits at Detention Centers

The Department of Homeland Security said it instituted the policy after lawmakers were allegedly disruptive.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement's processing center in El Paso, Texas, on Feb. 13, 2025. Justin Hamel/AFP via Getty Images

A federal judge on Dec. 17 issued an order temporarily halting the Trump administration’s efforts to prevent members of Congress from making unannounced oversight-related visits to detention facilities run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Judge Jia Cobb of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that while the court is considering the case, ICE may not enforce the Trump administration’s visitation restrictions that were introduced in June.