BURLINGTON, Mass. — Lawmakers from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont made a surprise visit to the ICE Field Office in Burlington on Friday.
The visit came amid reports that detainees are being held for long periods, despite the site being a short-term processing facility.
“The fact of the matter is people are here too long, especially women. We also see that access to justice can be an impediment to people actually being processed in the time that is necessary,” said Rhode Island Rep. Gabe Amo.
Lawmakers said they want to ensure everyone at the facility is being treated properly.
It is legal for members of Congress to make unannounced visits to ICE facilities.
A spokesperson for DHS sent Boston 25 the following statement:
“The ICE Burlington field office complies with all required state and local laws.
This is a processing facility, not a detention facility. Illegal aliens are quickly processed and transferred to permanent housing at a detention facility. ICE is regularly audited and inspected by internal and external agencies and is committed to transparency.
Claims of inadequate conditions at the Burlington facility are FALSE. The ICE Burlington facility has an abundance of supplies, including food, assorted snacks, water, personal hygiene, and bedding materials. Detainees have access to a shower. In fact, ICE has higher detention standards than most US prisons that hold actual US citizens. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with lawyers and their family members. Men and woman are processed separately.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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