Ilhan Omar, other House Dems seen at federal building in Minneapolis, demand entry
Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Angie Craig, both Democrats from Minnesota, showed up at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis on Saturday and demanded entry.
A source told Fox News that they have been escorted into the building.
Craig later said outside the facility that, “They told us that we are not allowed in the building, that they were rejecting our appeal as duly-elected members of Congress from the state of Minnesota, from observing the detention center.”
“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,” she continued. “We have every right and responsibility if we’re doing our jobs to be here today to see what the conditions are in that detention center, we are going to continue to show up.”
“It was our understanding that we were led in, by the former acting director that allowed us in, he was in that position up until two days ago,” Omar said. “And, you know, we did make a phone call before we came here, to give him a heads up that we were coming, did facilitate our entry into the building. And then ten minutes or so later, as we were making our way into the actual detention center where people were being detained, we were told that we had to come back out, because his higher-ups had made a phone call to him saying that we are no longer allowed to be in the building, and that an explanation would be provided to us once we got upstairs.”
“We are seeing ICE pick up people, not allowing them to have access to their attorneys, to their family members, not allowing access to information that their family members could provide,” Omar added. “We’ve also seen them being denied the ability to contact their members of Congress so that we can liaison and get the proper information that is needed and give comfort to their families of their whereabouts. This hasn’t happened before.”
“There is no freedom when you are being detained and your government is being turned against you. This should be appalling to everyone,” Omar also said.
“In Minnesota, we know how to protect one another. And 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, because they have never experienced the kind of love that we experienced here in Minnesota, and we know that they are going to disappear one day, but we will be here caring for one another and carrying out policy with love here in Minnesota,” Omar declared.
Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-Minn., also was at the scene on Saturday.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.