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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 »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement: The entirety of Kristi Noem’s tenure at DHS has marred by the trampling of the department’s stated values of “integrity, vigilance, and respect." Americans across the country have witnessed ICE and Border Patrol Agents in masks racially profiling Americans, using aggressive and often violent tactics… Read more »

Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) released the following statement in response to the military actions taken in Venezuela: "Donald Trump just told the world that the U.S. is going to 'run' Venezuela 'for now.' "Are Republicans who have given the Trump administration their full throated support for the illegal bombing of Venezuela and the use of our military to kidnap… 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 »

Last week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined 122 of her House Democratic colleagues led by Representative Pramilia Jayapal (WA-7) in introducing the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, legislation to enact guardrails and oversight on immigration detention, and to ensure civil and human rights are protected.   “I have seen firsthand the consequences of incompetence,… Read more »