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Yesterday, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to Department of Homeland (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons expressing her concerns over potential new immigration detention facilities in her district. The letter can be found in its entirety below and here. “Secretary Noem and Acting Director… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar released the following statement following confirmation from the El Paso County Medical Examiner that a detainee died of “asphyxia due to neck and torso compression”: "Secretary Noem and Director Lyons have an obligation to provide Congress with a thorough briefing on the circumstances of the confirmed murder of a detainee at Camp East… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) gave a speech on the House Floor stating her opposition to the DHS Funding Bill. You can find the transcript of her speech below: Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Homeland Appropriations Subcommittee, I stand today in opposition to this Homeland Appropriations bill. I want to be very clear: the bill that passed out of committee had… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement in response to the latest news from ICE confirming additional detention facilities in El Paso County: “A private corporation received nearly $30 million through a no-bid federal contract to help design more detention space, including another facility in El Paso. Donald Trump and Republicans have been… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement in response to the Washington Post’s article about a detainee death at Camp East Montana likely to be classified as a homicide: I have been sounding the alarm about Camp East Montana, a $1.24 billion privately operated immigration detention facility funded by American taxpayers since it… Read more »

This ICE Crackdown Is Making the Case for Real Immigration Reform By Ronald Brownstein One unintended consequence of President Trump’s militarized mass deportation campaign may be to demonstrate that the iron fist alone can never resolve America’s immigration challenges. And that, ironically, may open the door to a more balanced alternative. One proposal is already quietly… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement on the ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis: "Today in Minneapolis, ICE shot a woman in the head and killed her.  Several eye-witness videos of the shooting that have been shared online make it clear that the Department of Homeland Security’s claim that an agent shot in self-defense is a blatant lie.… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) sent a letter to Department of Homeland (DHS) Secretary Krisit Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons expressing her continued concerns regarding Camp East Montana. This is now the third letter the Congresswoman has sent them after the previous two have gone unanswered by the Secretary and Acting… Read more »

Just now, a federal court temporarily stopped the Trump-Vance administration’s policy blocking Members of Congress from unannounced oversight visits to federal immigration detention facilities today. The decision restores Congress’s ability to conduct real-time oversight of how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detain… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released a statement after learning of the first death of a Camp East Montana detainee: “Earlier today, my office was notified by a local stakeholder about the recent death of a detainee at Camp East Montana. ICE did not notify Congress directly until nearly a week after the death and hours after our office inquired with relevant… Read more »