Democrats to ICE: Go Ahead, Arrest Us
Adrian Carrasquillo The Bulwark
Senator Alex Padilla (D-Cal.) poses for a portrait in his office in the Hart Senate Office Building on June 18, 2025. (photo: Matt McClain/Getty)
In interviews, a number of party members said they would ignore new DHS rules trying to restrict surprise detention center visits.
But that’s exactly what happened when DHS issued an oddly timed Juneteenth release announcing that lawmakers would need to provide 72 hours’ notice before visiting ICE detention centers.
Congressional Democrats have made a habit of unannounced trips to such facilities to fulfill their congressional oversight duties amid Trump’s aggressive deportation regime. It’s led to dramatic confrontations, arrests, and even members struggling to deal with tear gas in Los Angeles.
The administration’s gambit was a clear attempt to neutralize one of the few tools Democrats have to spotlight not just the cruelty of the mass deportations but the lawlessness of the administration’s efforts to circumvent deportees’ and detainees’ due process rights. It prompted the question: How would Democrats respond?
In interviews with a dozen sources, including lawmakers, as well as a handful of top operatives in the field, the answer appears to be: with middle fingers held high.
