Judge lets DHS limits on congressional ICE visits stand while lawsuit proceeds
A federal judge refused to enjoin new Department of Homeland Security rules that curb unannounced congressional walk‑throughs of ICE detention and processing sites, leaving tighter notice and access conditions in place while a lawsuit by House and Senate Democrats proceeds; DOJ lawyers said the limits are needed for safety and orderly operations, while Democrats say they unlawfully obstruct oversight and target high‑tension sites such as Minneapolis’s Whipple Building. Separately, a federal appeals court has paused parts of a lower‑court order that barred ICE/DHS from retaliating against or using force on peaceful protesters during the Twin Cities “Operation Metro Surge,” restoring broader tactical latitude to federal agents while the government’s appeal moves forward.
📌 Key Facts
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has issued or backed new internal limits on how and when members of Congress may visit immigration detention and processing facilities, curbing unannounced “walk‑through” inspections and requiring more advance notice and tighter conditions.
- House Democrats have formally challenged the new rules as violating traditional congressional oversight norms; they cite the Minneapolis/Whipple Building incident as a local test case and view the changes as retaliation that would keep cameras and witnesses away after Renee Good’s killing.
- Republicans and Justice Department lawyers defend the restrictions as necessary for safety and to avoid interference with facility operations, while House and Senate Democrats argue the rules unlawfully obstruct constitutional oversight and single out high‑tension sites like Fort Snelling/Whipple.
- A federal district judge held a hearing on the challenges, declined to issue an immediate ruling from the bench, requested additional briefing, and left the DHS limits in place for now — denying a bid to enjoin the policy and indicating a written decision will follow.
- The court’s order leaves the Trump administration/DHS rules in effect while the underlying lawsuit proceeds, rather than suspending them.
- Separately, a federal appellate court paused key parts of a lower‑court order that had barred ICE/DHS from retaliating against, arresting, or using force and chemical agents on peaceful protesters observing Operation Metro Surge, narrowing protections for protesters and restoring broader tactical latitude to federal agents; that stay specifically affects ongoing litigation brought by Minnesota officials and civil‑rights plaintiffs.
📊 Relevant Data
Immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, are less likely to commit crimes than the U.S.-born population.
Immigrants are significantly less likely to commit crimes than the U.S.-born — Northwestern University
Venezuelan immigrants to the U.S. are primarily driven by economic collapse, hyperinflation, food and medicine shortages, and political instability in Venezuela.
7 facts about Venezuelans in the US — Pew Research Center
Immigrants contribute approximately $26 billion to Minnesota's economy, with Somali Minnesotans contributing $8 billion.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
In 2025, there were at least 20 deaths in ICE custody, making it the deadliest year since 2004.
2025 was ICE's deadliest year in two decades. Here are the deaths — The Guardian
Immigration detention population increased by 78% from mid-December 2024 to mid-December 2025, reaching 68,440 people.
ICE Inspections Plummeted as Detentions Soared in 2025 — Project on Government Oversight
The Trump administration expanded ICE detention capacity and increased deportations, including resuming flights to Venezuela with 73 deportation flights sending back 13,656 Venezuelans between February and November 2025.
After Maduro's capture, Venezuelans in South Florida dream of returning home. But not yet — Miami Herald
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- A federal appellate court has paused key parts of a lower‑court order that barred ICE/DHS from retaliating against, arresting, or using force and chemical agents on peaceful protesters observing Operation Metro Surge.
- The stay narrows or suspends protections for protesters while the government’s appeal proceeds, restoring broader tactical latitude to federal agents at Twin Cities demonstrations.
- The order specifically affects ongoing litigation brought by Minnesota officials and/or civil‑rights plaintiffs that challenged ICE tactics during the surge.
- The judge denied a bid to enjoin the new DHS policy that restricts unannounced congressional visits and tightens conditions for access to ICE facilities.
- The order leaves the Trump administration’s rules in place while the underlying lawsuit continues, rather than suspending them.
- The article clarifies how the policy changes the long‑standing practice of short‑notice or unannounced congressional walk‑throughs and describes reactions from Minnesota’s delegation and advocates.
- A federal district judge held a hearing on challenges to the Trump administration/DHS policy that restricts how and when members of Congress may visit immigration detention and processing facilities.
- Justice Department lawyers defended the restrictions as necessary for safety and orderly operations, while House and Senate Democrats argued they unlawfully obstruct constitutional oversight and singled out high‑tension sites like Fort Snelling/Whipple in Minnesota.
- The judge did not issue an immediate ruling from the bench but requested additional briefing and indicated a written decision will follow, leaving the DHS limits in place for now.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has issued or backed new internal limits on how and when members of Congress can visit immigration facilities, curbing unannounced 'walk‑through' inspections and requiring more advance notice and tighter conditions.
- House Democrats say those new rules violate traditional congressional oversight norms and have formally challenged them, framing the Minneapolis incident at the Whipple Building as the first local test case.
- The piece lays out the partisan split: Republicans echo Noem’s line about security and interference with operations, while Democrats argue the rules look like retaliation and an attempt to keep cameras and witnesses away from the Twin Cities surge operations after Renee Good’s killing.