Two Democrats and a Republican a California ICE detention center. Only one got in
Reps Jay Obernolte Raul Ruiz and Norma Torres all represent the Inland Empire in Congress But when it comes to visiting the Adelanto ICE Processing Center only one Obernolte was able to go inside the detention center in San Bernardino County s High Desert on Friday July While Obernolte R-Hesperia praised conditions at the immigration detention facility Ruiz D-Palm Desert and Torres D-Ontario denounced what they stated were unlawful actions by U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement Reached via email ICE explained Obernolte was scheduled for an approved authorized visit and followed U S Department of Homeland Prevention approach that requires at least seven days notice for visiting detention facilities Rep Jay Obernolte R-Hesperia seen in praised conditions at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center after a Friday June scheduled visit File photo by Watchara Phomicinda The Press-Enterprise SCNG Congressman Raul Ruiz and Congresswoman Norma Torres exhibited up to Rep Obernolte s approved visit ignoring the established directive regarding visiting ICE facilities ICE s declaration read They were advised that ICE would be more than happy to accommodate their visit provided it was scheduled in accordance with Homeland Measure approach In an Instagram post Ruiz declared ICE is already trying to spin that our visit nowadays did not come with advanced notice We did notify them twice The post included what appeared to be emails from Ruiz s and Torres office The emails one dated July eight days before the visit and the other dated July inform ICE of the lawmakers requests to visit Adelanto In an emailed report Torres explained I m glad Congressman Obernolte had the opportunity to visit the Adelanto facility but Democrats deserve the same access She mentioned her office has been emailing Homeland Assurance for weeks to schedule a visit only to be met with shifting policies and ever-changing excuses for why Democratic members of Congress can t get in DHS is not above the law Denying access to Democrats is not only illegal it s a dangerous abuse of power Torres revealed Congressional oversight isn t optional it s our constitutional duty If DHS continues to obstruct and discriminate Congress must act through investigations funding restrictions or any means necessary to restore accountability and uphold the rule of law Congressional visits especially by Democrats to ICE facilities have become a heated topic in latest weeks as the Trump administration cracks down on undocumented immigrants with a special focus on California In New Jersey Democratic Rep LaMonica McIver was indicted last month on felony assault charges following a scuffle with personnel at an ICE detention center in Newark McIver who reported she was conducting an oversight visit denied wrongdoing and stated the federal charges are politically motivated Locally Torres disclosed she was hospitalized last month after federal bureaucrats used chemical agents on her and other members of a congressional delegation that sought access to the Edward R Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles which houses detainees awaiting immigration proceedings On June five Democratic lawmakers including Rep Mark Takano D-Riverside toured the Adelanto facility which holds more than detainees and is run by a private contractor At a news conference after the tour the lawmakers demanded better conditions at Adelanto Related Articles Activists patrol California Home Depots parks using a volunteer arrangement to warn of immigration raids Children videotaped handcuffed in federal custody in LA it s barbaric immigrant-rights group says California farmworker who fell from greenhouse roof during chaotic ICE raid dies California police increasingly present at ICE raids walk tightrope to stay out of immigration enforcement Trump says he wants to deport the worst of the worst Executive information tells another story One of them Rep Judy Chu D-Pasadena reported she spoke with one detainee who was not fed for hours after being taken into custody and others who were denied access to telephones and went days without a change of clothes or towels Chu and Reps Gil Cisneros D-Covina and Derek Tran D-Orange stated they were denied access to the Adelanto facility on June Obernolte Adelanto is in his district stated in a video posted to social media that he longed to visit the facility because I ve read a few terrible things in the press with claims about detainees being mistreated facilities being dirty things of that nature I have to say though from what I saw in current times we are treating these detainees as humanely as doable This facility was extremely clean We verified that the detainees have access to legal counsel and that they can come in and visit At the end of the video Obernolte commented I m going to continue to monitor the situation in the future But from what I can see we re doing our absolute best under the circumstances to treat these detainees with humanity and with compassion It was not Obernolte s first visit to the facility spokesperson Connor Chapinski stated via email noting the congressmember who previously served in the state legislature has visited multiple times over the years
