On Monday afternoon, members of the Maryland Democratic Congressional delegation staged a sit-in at an ICE building, which was temporarily used for holding individuals, after their request for a facility tour was denied.
Prominent Maryland Democrats, including Chris Van Hollen and Angela, aimed to inspect the premises to address concerns about the treatment of undocumented immigrants in custody. They accused ICE of inadequacies in the conditions. One delegate mentioned being there to advocate for “members” in ICE custody, even though those individuals are undocumented immigrants living in the district.
Sarah Elfreth, another Maryland Democrat participating in the sit-in, referred to detained immigrants as “members” in a video she shared on social media, emphasizing, “Many of my members have passed through the facility.” She noted that their families had reached out to them and expressed their commitment to advocate on their behalf. Elfreth cited figures indicating that a large percentage of detainees have no criminal background.
After being denied access to the facility, Kweisi Mfume, a senior member of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters that they decided to protest outside instead. He stated, “We weren’t allowed in, so we had to knock on the door and, ultimately, sit in front of it.” Eventually, the facility’s director explained that she was instructed not to permit anyone, including family members or Senate representatives, inside.
An ICE spokesperson clarified that lawmakers were not authorized to enter the facility since it serves as a temporary holding area rather than a long-term detention center. The press reported that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a member of the MS-13 gang and a human trafficker, had been held there before his deportation to El Salvador.
Representative Glenn Ivey, participating in the sit-in and representing the area where Garcia had lived, previously referred to him as his “constituent.” In contrast, Maryland Republican Andy Harris criticized his colleagues, claiming they hadn’t worked to prevent illegal immigration or gang activity in the state. He remarked, “Now they’re staging ‘sit-in’ stunts to keep illegal activities alive in Maryland.”
A recent Wall Street Journal poll suggested that voters trust Republicans to manage issues related to illegal immigration by a 24% margin over Democrats.
Neither Elfreth nor a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security responded immediately to inquiries regarding the protests.
