Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (TX-30) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem raising urgent concerns about barriers to legal access for individuals detained at the Camp East Montana detention facility in Fort Bliss, Texas.
Rep. Crockett recently conducted an oversight visit to the facility as part of her ongoing efforts to ensure the humane treatment of individuals in immigration detention and to hold U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable to its legal obligations.
“People detained at this facility—including immigrants—have a constitutional right to due process and the right to counsel in immigration court. ICE must ensure detained individuals have meaningful, timely, and confidential access to legal representation,” wrote Rep. Crockett. “Failure to do so undermines the integrity of immigration proceedings and places individuals at risk of unjust outcomes—including avoidable injuries or even death while detained or after deportation.”
During her visit, Rep. Crockett was told that attorneys have access to confidential in-person meetings and calls with detained individuals. However, her office has since received reports from nonprofit and pro bono legal providers contradicting those claims. These conflicting accounts raise serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and whether ICE is meeting its legal and constitutional obligations.
In her letter, Rep. Crockett called on DHS to:
- Clarify ICE’s policies regarding attorney access to clients at Camp East Montana;
- Clarify ICE’s policies related to access to legal libraries and resources; and
- Guarantee that individuals in ICE custody are being afforded their constitutional right to counsel and due process.
Rep. Crockett underscored that ICE’s failure to address these issues could amount to violations of detained individuals’ constitutional rights and pledged to continue her oversight to ensure transparency, accountability, and humane treatment.
