Maryland lawmakers tour Baltimore ICE facility after allegations about inhumane conditions

A group of Maryland lawmakers toured a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Baltimore on Wednesday after they were denied a visit in late July. 

A spokesperson for the agency said the lawmakers initially arrived without giving advanced notice and were denied a tour for the safety of those in custody and ICE employees. 

Wednesday's tour comes after a federal class-action lawsuit criticized the conditions at the George H. Fallon federal building. 

ICE has denied those allegations, saying the agency is "committed to enforcing immigration laws fairly, safely and humanely," and complies with federal laws and ICE policies. 

Touring the Baltimore ICE facility

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representatives Kweisi Mfume and Sarah Elfreth participated in a guided tour of the facility on Wednesday morning. 

The group said they left with more questions after being denied the opportunity to speak with detainees and being told that ICE officials would get back to them with answers. 

"We leave here with more questions than we came in with, and it was that way the last time we were here," Mfume said. "They've promised to get back to us on at least 20, 25 issues that have come up."

"We just want answers, we want the truth, the facts, and we want to find a way to make sure that's public and transparent," he added. 

According to Van Hollen, the group was told they could not talk to detainees at the ICE facility under Maryland law. However, the senator said the state law that the agency referred to does not prohibit members of Congress from talking with detainees. 

"Clearly, they don't want us talking to the people who are detained here today or in the future," he said. 

"As a senior member of a House oversight committee and as the ranking member of the government operations committee, we have clear congressional jurisdiction over ICE," Mfume said.

Following the visit from lawmakers on Wednesday, Van Hollen argued that the Baltimore holding facility serves as a detention center, claiming that there are reports of people being held for eight days. 

Under ICE policy, holding facilities are designed to keep detainees for up to 12 hours. 

"If you look at the people in these rooms, they are clearly being detained," Van Hollen said. 

The agency previously responded to those allegations in a statement saying, "ICE Baltimore operates a holding room, not a detention facility, and therefore is not subject to the standards outlined in the 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards." 

Van Hollen also mentioned that, according to ICE data, nearly 84% detainees fall under a category of "no threat level," conflicting with the Trump administration's claim that ICE would be going after the "worst of the worst."

"They said they were going after the worst of the worst," Van Hollen said. "That would be warranted, and that would be totally appropriate if that were true."

The lawmakers said they are hoping to get answers after leaving ICE leaders with a list of questions. 

WJZ has reached out to ICE for comment. 

Claims of inhumane conditions 

In June, the Amica Center and National Immigration Project filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of two women who were being held at the Baltimore ICE facility. 

According to the lawsuit, the women were held for long periods in "inhumane" holding rooms, which allegedly violate ICE policies. 

The lawsuit claimed ICE detainees can only be held for 12 hours in holding facilities. However, during a hearing in July, the Department of Justice argued that the lawsuit was incorrect. 

Other immigration advocates have also raised concerns about conditions at the Baltimore ICE facility. 

In March, the Amica Center and the nonprofit CASA held a rally where attendees criticized the size of the holding rooms, the lack of medical staff, and the lack of a food service contract. 

ICE responded in a statement, saying its Health Service Corps is on site to provide necessary medical services. 

"In the event of a medical emergency, detainees are promptly transported to nearby hospitals to receive immediate and appropriate care," the agency said. 

U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth, during her tour, described the detainment rooms as tight.

"If there were 40 people in one of those rooms, you wouldn't be able to sit down all at the same time," she said. 

Mfume questions how those with medical and sanitary needs are being treated,

"Some of our concerns are, what happens with women who have sanitary needs? What happens to people who have daily medications that were not on them when they're apprehended, and what happens to those who come in not being classified by nationality?" Mfume said.       

Initial ICE visit denied 

In July, the lawmakers claimed their initial plans to visit the facility in July were "unlawfully denied." 

"This does not bode well here in Baltimore or anywhere if members of the United States Congress, who are duly authorized to come in and to inspect, visit, or walk through a federal facility, are not allowed in," said Mfume, who is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

In response, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted on social media, saying the lawmakers should have scheduled a tour at least one week in advance. 

"Congressman, if you need a photo op with the violent criminal illegal aliens you are protecting, schedule a TOUR," the DHS posted on X. 

US lawmakers sue over access to ICE facilities 

In late July, 12 Democratic Congressmembers filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming there was an effort to limit access to detention centers that hold immigrants. 

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md) was among the leaders who joined the lawsuit. In the lawsuit, leaders alleged that the Trump administration is blocking their attempts to enter ICE detention centers and delaying plans to inspect the facilities. 

"I hope that what happened here in Baltimore, by being able to gain access to a federal facility, starts now to happen all over the country," Mfume said Wednesday. "If indeed we are to be the example, so be it. We just have to have transparency."