A surprise visit by three congressional members to the immigration detention center at Fort Snelling ended abruptly on Saturday morning, when Department of Homeland Security employees told them to leave.
In the short time they were inside the center, U.S. Reps. Kelly Morrison and Ilhan Omar said they saw 20 people in a facility that has no beds.
The visit comes amid a surge of ICE and Border Patrol agents that has led to ramped up enforcement actions across the Twin Cities and less than a week after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good in south Minneapolis.
Minnesota Democrats Morrison, Omar and U.S. Rep. Angie Craig said they had prior authorization from a senior official at the local field office for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to carry out congressional oversight at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building and examine the conditions under which detainees are held.
After briefly entering the monitoring center, Craig said, “there was an abrupt decision that we should return to a waiting area and await leadership to come and tell us what was going on. “The response was that, because the funding for this center came from the ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill,’ not a congressional appropriations bill, that they were denying our access.”
Craig said she brought court precedent with her to the site, calling the justification for denying entry “nonsense.”
In December 2025 a U.S. District Court judge temporarily blocked Trump administration policies requiring lawmakers to provide seven days’ notice before visiting ICE facilities, saying the requirement likely exceeded DHS’ statutory authority and undermined Congress’ oversight responsibilities.
Omar said DHS staffers went even further, telling the congresswomen: ‘Yes, the law is on your side, but we don’t care, and we are not going to allow you to fulfill your oversight duties.’”
Her office told Sahan Journal that as congressional members, they have automatic access to federal facilities and the authorization was a courtesy heads-up.
“What happened today is a blatant attempt to obstruct members of Congress from doing their oversight duties,” Omar said. “When we appropriate funds as members of Congress, we are expected by the public to do oversight, because the public requires their money be used with transparency and accountability, and what happened today is ICE agents deciding that we were no longer allowed to fulfill our constitutional duties.”
Sahan Journal reached out to DHS and ICE for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Morrison, a doctor, and Omar said they were able to see 20 people held in the monitoring center during their brief period of access.
Omar said that she inquired about hygiene conditions and was told that they have showers but no hygiene products since they aren’t held there for long, “which is insane, because we’ve heard from people who have been detained here before,” she said.
“We are going to continue to show up. We’re going to continue to do our job,” Craig said. “We let ICE know, Department of Homeland Security know that they were violating federal law. They do not care that they are violating federal law.”
Before and after the oversight visit, vehicles carrying immigration agents entered and exited the Whipple Building as a small group of protesters gathered outside, shouting at the cars as they passed. Officers were seen photographing demonstrators from inside their vehicles, and in at least one instance, an officer deployed pepper spray directly into a protester’s eyes as the car pulled away.
“I have been incredibly, incredibly proud the way our neighbors have shown up for one another. It’s been beautiful to see, and that kind of resistance is why ICE agents seem so angry and agitated,” Omar said.
