Representative Ilhan Omar and two other Minnesota Democrats were denied entry and asked to leave a Minneapolis Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility after Homeland Security officials said they did not comply with a new advance notice policy.
Omar, along with Representatives Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison, went to the facility as part of what they described as congressional oversight. They were briefly allowed inside before being told that a new Department of Homeland Security rule requires members of Congress to request visits at least a week in advance, prompting officials to revoke their access.
The incident took place amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis following a federal immigration operation that resulted in a fatal ICE shooting and widespread protests.
Omar has said lawmakers have a duty to oversee federal detention centers, while Homeland Security has defended the advance notice requirement as a safety and operational measure. The standoff has added to the broader debate over transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement.