Congress Probes ICE Arrests at San Diego Courthouse

Members of Congress — Reps. Mike Levin, Sara Jacobs, Juan Vargas and Scott Peters — sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem demanding answers after volunteers reported ICE arrested and detained 44 immigrants at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego over a four-day period beginning Oct. 9, asking why they were detained, whether any were held more than 24 hours, where in the building they were held, why a federal courthouse was used, and whether it meets national detention standards. ICE said the San Diego federal building’s staging area is a secure processing facility where detainees are given meals, water, phone access and the ability to contact consular or legal representation, are held only the minimum time necessary, and that the building is not configured as a detention facility. Separately, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced that since January DHS has arrested more than 480,000 people and said roughly 70% of those arrested had criminal charges or convictions, highlighting violent offenders as part of a “worst of the worst” enforcement push. Noem said operations have been nationwide, including in sanctuary cities, and argued the arrests improve community safety even as the tactics have prompted protests and controversy.