Congresswoman Escobar says she was turned away from ICE facility on Montana Avenue

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Congresswoman Veronica Escobar says that she was turned away from the ICE facility on Montana Avenue, despite giving a 24-hour notice of her visit.

Escobar says she was attempting to conduct her constitutionally authorized oversight duties at the facility. She says the facility "has been plagued with accusations of mistreatment and inhumane conditions," meaning it should fall within the scope of her congressional oversight authority.

Escobar cited Amnesty International's recent report on the facility that details alleged human rights violations.

"For years, I have conducted oversight visits of these facilities in accordance with guidelines in the law, including last month when I toured the ICE soft-sided site in Northeast," Escobar explained. "“Let me be clear: it is the law that no Member of Congress can be denied entry to facilities operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct oversight. The law is straightforward, and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is not only blatantly breaking it herself, she is instructing local DHS staff to break it as well. The Trump administration’s continued efforts to hide federally funded facilities from oversight by breaking the law contradicts their lofty, empty promises of law, order, and transparency."

ABC-7 reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment. Read the department's response below:

“ICE law enforcement have seen a surge in assaults of 700%, as well as disruptions and obstructions to enforcement, including by politicians themselves.

For visits to detention facilities, requests should be made with sufficient time to prevent interference with the President’s Article II authority to oversee executive department functions—a week is sufficient to ensure no intrusion on the President’s constitutional authority. To protect the President’s Article II authority, any request to shorten that time must be approved by the Secretary."