Judge nixes latest policy requiring 7 days' notice for Congress members to visit ICE facilities

"U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb in Washington ruled that a group of Democratic lawmakers is likely to succeed in showing that the seven-day notice requirement is illegal and exceeds the government's statutory authority. The judge said the Republican administration hasn't cited any concrete examples of safety issues posed by congressional visits without advanced notice."

"Plaintiffs are undoubtedly frustrated with Defendants' repeated attempts to impose a notice requirement, Cobb wrote. But in taking further action, Defendants are required to abide by the terms of the Court's order and act consistently with the legal principles announced in this opinion."

"However, Noem secretly reinstated another notice requirement one day after an ICE officer shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Good in Minneapolis. It was nearly identical to the version that Cobb blocked in December. Three days after the deadly shooting, three Democratic members of Congress from Minnesota were stopped from visiting an ICE facility near Minneapolis."

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb in Washington blocked a Trump administration policy requiring members of Congress to provide one week's notice before visiting immigration detention facilities. The judge determined that Democratic lawmakers challenging the January 8 policy issued by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are likely to succeed in proving it illegal and beyond government statutory authority. The administration provided no concrete safety justifications for the requirement. This marks the second time Cobb blocked such a policy; she previously blocked a similar version in December. After an ICE officer fatally shot U.S. citizen Renee Good, Homeland Security secretly reinstated an identical notice requirement, preventing three Minnesota Democratic representatives from visiting an ICE facility near Minneapolis.

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