By Angelica C. Gualpa
After more than a month of lobbying and well-publicized denials of examining immigrant detainment facilities in Downtown Los Angeles, four members of the County’s congressional delegation conducted a joint congressional oversight visit to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) and the adjacent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Field Office yesterday.
The members included U.S. Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, Valley Village), Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Pasadena), Jimmy Gomez (D-Downtown LA, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, Eagle Rock), and Maxine Waters (D-Inglewood, Gardena, Hawthorne, Lawndale, Lomita).
The Members’ visit comes in response to heightened concerns about recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement actions in Los Angeles.
“Oversight isn’t optional—it’s our duty,” said Sherman. “Our communities deserve transparency from federal agencies operating in our neighborhoods with such aggressive tactics. But when answers aren’t freely given, we must dig deeper. Today’s oversight visit sent a clear message: We will not allow abuse or neglect to go unchecked.”
“Just a month ago, I was illegally denied entry to this detention facility in downtown Los Angeles. Today, we finally got inside, but what we saw was deeply disturbing. We were barred from speaking with detainees and continue to receive conflicting reports about conditions, from the food and hygiene provided to the alarming lack of clarity over who is authorized to detain people off the streets. We will not stop pressing for answers and accountability until we know the full truth,” said Chu.
“Only after giving DHS a 14-day notice were my colleagues and I allowed inside the DTLA detention center today to conduct oversight,” said Gomez. “This summer, the facility was reported to be holding more than 300 people a day. Today, there were just 2. ICE and DHS are hiding the truth and blocking real oversight. Our communities deserve answers, unannounced access, and true accountability.”
During the tour of MDC Los Angeles, the Members met with facility leadership to review detention conditions, detainee treatment, and compliance with federal standards.
The delegation then proceeded to the DHS Field Office to seek direct answers from DHS officials on the scope, legality, and impact of recent ICE operations in the region.
But instead of clear answers, the lawmakers expressed frustration over what they described as a “watered down” and “tightly controlled” tour that failed to provide the level of transparency the public deserves.
Following the oversight visits, the Members held a press conference outside the Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles to brief the public on their findings. Check out the press conference below.
