January 12, 2026
Ilhan Omar Turned Away From Oversight Visit To Minnesota ICE Detention Center
Ilhan's denied detention center visit occurred amid heightened tensions in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and two other Democratic members of Congress were denied access to a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility near Minneapolis.
On Jan. 10, Omar of Minnesota was joined by Reps. Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling in St. Paul. There, they attempted to tour an ICE detention center holding immigrant detainees waiting on status determinations.
The representatives said they had prior authorization from a senior local ICE official to conduct oversight of conditions inside the facility. They were initially allowed into the holding area, but authorities then abruptly rescinded access, telling them they could not continue the tour, Omar said, speaking to reporters.
“We were initially invited in to do our Congressional oversight and to exercise our Article I duties,” Omar told reporters after the incident. “When we made it in, it was with the authorization of someone who’s been here for a really long time, who understood that we had a Congressional duty to enter the building and see the facility.”
“Shortly after we were let in, two officials came in and said they received a message that we were no longer allowed to be in the building and that they were rescinding our invitation and denying any further access to the building,” she continued.
Omar condemned the denial of access as a “blatant disregard of the law,” asserting that federal statute and court precedent allow members of Congress to inspect federal detention facilities without advance notice. She said the refusal undermines congressional oversight powers and transparency in detention operations.
Department of Homeland Security DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin cited safety concerns for detainees and staff as the reason for blocking further entry, Fox News reported.
“For the safety of detainees and staff, and in compliance with the agency’s mandate, the Members of Congress were notified that their visit was improper and out of compliance with existing court orders and policies, which mandate that members of Congress must notify ICE at least seven days in advance of Congressional visits,” McLaughlin said.
The denied visit occurred amid heightened tensions in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent. Good’s death, which many see as unjustified, has sparked widespread protests and intensified scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics. On Jan. 10, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Minneapolis to demand accountability and changes to federal immigration policy.
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