Crow Takes On Trump Administration for Blocking Congressional Oversight at Immigration Detention Facilities
WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO-06) will return to federal court against the Trump Administration after officials secretly re-imposed a policy that stonewalls unannounced congressional oversight of federal immigration detention facilities.
Under federal law, all members of Congress have the right to conduct unannounced oversight of federal facilities, including those run by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). Congressman Crow sued the Trump Administration to uphold this right following his unlawful denial from an ICE detention facility in Aurora in July 2025.
Recently, however, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem issued a memo requiring Members of Congress to provide seven days’ notice before being granted access to these facilities. This is an attempt, once again, to add new roadblocks to oversight and to avoid accountability. The right to conduct unannounced visits was recently upheld in December following an attempt by the Administration to implement the same policy requiring advance notice from Members of Congress.
Crow’s motion urgently asks the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to order the Administration to explain how the policy requiring seven days advance notice is not a violation of federal law.
Additional Members of Congress who were denied access to federal detention facilities joined Crow as plaintiffs in the lawsuit: Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08), Bennie Thompson (D-MS-02), Veronica Escobar (D-TX-16), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34), Norma Torres (D-CA-35), Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), and Lou Correa (D-CA-46).
In a joint statement, the plaintiffs said: “In December, a federal court acted to restore Members of Congress's ability to conduct essential congressional oversight on behalf of the American people. Now, rather than complying with the law, the Department of Homeland Security is attempting to get around this order by re-imposing the same unlawful policy. This is unacceptable. Oversight is a core responsibility of Members of Congress, and a constitutional duty we do not take lightly. It is not something the executive branch can turn on or off at will. Today, we are going back to court to defend the rule of law, protect transparency, and ensure that no administration can hide behind closed doors.”
Since his election to Congress, Crow has fought to promote transparency, oversight, and accountability in federal immigration detention centers. He introduced bipartisan legislation guaranteeing Members of Congress the right to conduct unannounced, in-person oversight visits of ICE detention facilities, including to check on any concerns related to public health and the humane treatment of detained individuals.
Crow regularly conducts oversight of Aurora’s ICE detention facility. Since 2019, he has visited the facility to conduct oversight ten times. Crow’s staff have also visited the facility more than 80 times to conduct oversight. Public reports of such visits, along with conditions at the facility, are published on Crow’s website.
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