Minnesota Democrats denied entry to ICE facility

Reps. Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison said they were denied entry to an ICE processing center in Minneapolis after local staff initially admitted them and commanding officers then told them to leave; officials at the site cited funding tied to the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' as the reason. The lawmakers said they showed a December 2025 federal court ruling that limited some restrictions on congressional visits but were refused.

Representatives Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison say they were denied entry to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center at the Whipple federal building in Minneapolis after being initially allowed in. The lawmakers say commanding officers told them they could not stay to meet with detainees because ICE funding came via the "One Big Beautiful Bill." They also reported presenting a December 2025 federal court ruling that had blocked certain rules limiting congressional visits. Key facts: - The three lawmakers attempted to enter the ICE processing center and were told to leave after an initial admission, according to their statements. - Facility officials told the lawmakers access was restricted because funding was tied to the "One Big Beautiful Bill," as reported by the lawmakers. - The lawmakers said they showed a December 2025 court ruling that found some visit-restricting policies likely violated federal law, and they say staff refused to review the ruling. - ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately provide a comment, and the next formal procedural step is undetermined at this time. Summary: The denial of access adds to ongoing disputes over congressional oversight of immigration facilities and comes amid heightened tensions in Minnesota over federal immigration enforcement. Lawmakers maintain they were refused entry despite citing the December 2025 court ruling. Undetermined at this time.