Congress Has Demanded Answers to ICE Detaining Americans. The Administration Has Responded With Silence.

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In the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term, Rep. Adriano Espaillat noticed reports of Puerto Ricans and others being stopped and arrested by immigration officials. As a New York Democrat, Espaillat reached out to the administration seeking answers, but has not received a reply in over 10 weeks.

This lack of response seems to be a common occurrence. Several Democratic members of Congress have written to the Trump administration regarding citizens and constituents who have been interrogated, detained, and even held at gunpoint by immigration agents. Despite their inquiries, they have not received any replies.

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, a Democrat from New Mexico, expressed concerns that the administration is ignoring Congress’s authority to investigate its actions. She highlighted a pattern where the administration is sidelining Congress, hindering its oversight role.

While previous administrations have faced challenges in responding to congressional inquiries, the Trump administration’s blatant disregard for Congress is unprecedented. The administration denies claims of bypassing Congress, citing collaboration on legislative matters.

ProPublica previously reported on instances where U.S. citizens were wrongly targeted by immigration enforcement actions. This issue has persisted across administrations, with errors in maintaining accurate citizenship records. The aggressive immigration approach under Trump has heightened concerns about citizens getting caught in enforcement operations.

ICE and Customs and Border Protection have not provided satisfactory explanations for their actions in cases involving citizens. Even during Trump’s first term, obtaining answers was difficult, indicating a broader issue with transparency and accountability.

In response to the lack of communication from the Trump administration, Rep. Espaillat emphasized the need for better responses. Similarly, Republicans have criticized the Biden administration for being unresponsive to immigration inquiries. Despite these challenges, lawmakers continue to push for accountability and transparency in immigration enforcement.