DENVER — Colorado Rep. Jason Crow announced Wednesday that he is taking the Trump administration to court after he said he was denied entry to the ICE detention facility in Aurora earlier this month.
The Aurora Democrat claims his denial of entry into the facility on July 20 violated federal law, “which grants Members of Congress the right to conduct unannounced oversight visits of federal immigration detention facilities,” Crow said in a news release.
The lawsuit is being filed in the District of Columbia Federal Court alongside other members of Congress who were also denied access to federal detention facilities, the news release read.
In an interview with Denver7's Shannon Ogden, the day after he was barred from the Aurora facility, Crow said that unannounced visits at ICE detention facilities by members of Congress are not only legal but necessary because scheduled visits are "dog and pony shows."
Politics
U.S. Rep. Jason Crow says Aurora ICE facility denied him entry
"Every Coloradan should be asking themselves why doesn't this administration want members of Congress to show up? What are they hiding? What don't they want us to know? Why have they changed their posture so radically from just a few months ago? It's very troubling," Crow told Ogden.
In a statement to Denver7, the Department of Homeland Security said Crow was not allowed in because the Congressman did not comply with its seven-day advance notice policy.
"ICE is committed to ensuring detainees held in its custody are treated with dignity and respect and housed in suitable detention conditions that provide for their safety and security. To ensure good order of the facility, ICE maintains security protocols to promote the safety of staff, detainees, and the local community. This includes maintaining a secure perimeter, scheduling facility tours, and screening all visitors prior to entry. These practices are intended to maintain good order of the facility and are required by ICE’s detention standards," DHS said in a statement.
The Trump administration has not responded to the lawsuit.
