On Monday, four Democratic representatives from Illinois conducted an inspection of a federal immigration processing facility located in Broadview, just outside Chicago. This visit became possible after a federal judge's recent decision to temporarily suspend Trump administration policies that had previously limited congressional access to such facilities.
Facility Access Restored
U.S. Representatives Danny Davis, Delia Ramirez, Jonathan Jackson, and Jesús "Chuy" Garcia entered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) center in suburban Broadview. Their entry marked a significant change, as they had been denied access to the site for six months prior. The Associated Press noted the lawmakers spent approximately one hour inside the brick building.
"We wanted to test whether or not there would be a violation of a court order reaffirming that we have the right to be here at any time for any reason, without advance notice," Garcia stated following the visit.
Conditions and Observations
The lawmakers reported observing only two individuals in custody during their Monday visit, a notable decrease from the 20 reported the previous day. Representative Garcia provided this comparison. During past enforcement operations, such as "Operation Midway Blitz," the facility had held over 150 people at times, with many detained for several days consecutively, according to accounts from congressmen, attorneys, and activists.
While acknowledging some improvements cited by immigration officials—including access to hot meals and legal counsel—the visiting Democrats raised specific concerns. They pointed to issues like toilets lacking sufficient privacy, limited shower facilities, and the absence of on-site medical staff.
"This visit will not end our responsibility. We will follow up," Jackson declared. "We will be back and we’ll demand answers."
Ramirez expressed particular worry about the lack of medical professionals, referencing the recent death of a 56-year-old man at an ICE facility in Michigan. The individual, Nenko Gantchev of Bulgaria, had been arrested in the Chicago-area crackdown. ICE officials indicated the death appeared to be from natural causes on December 15, though an official investigation into the cause remains ongoing.
Broader Congressional Visits
The court ruling has enabled similar inspections by House members in other locations. In New York, Democratic Representatives Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat visited an ICE holding facility at 26 Federal Plaza on Friday. They issued a joint statement alleging immigrants were being held for up to three days without access to showers or proper bedding.
"The Trump administration’s obsession with hitting an arbitrary — and unrealistic — number of deportations is creating a humanitarian crisis," Espaillat said.
In Illinois, access to the Broadview facility has been tightly controlled by the Trump administration, with attorneys, family members of detainees, and journalists typically barred. Federal authorities previously erected a fence around the building amid growing protests and clashes.
Separately, Illinois Representative Lauren Underwood, a Democrat on the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations, reported being allowed to visit the Broadview facility late last month. She raised concerns about conditions, staffing, and record-keeping, noting that no arrestees were present during her inspection due to a scheduled security system update.
An inquiry sent to ICE on Monday was not immediately returned.
