U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar is raising concerns about transparency at a federal detention site after she said holding cells appeared to be cleared shortly before members of Congress arrived for an oversight inspection.
Speaking after a visit to the Whipple Federal Building, Omar said the facility showed no signs of detainees despite reports that individuals had recently been held there.
“Every cell, every inch of it was completely empty,” Omar said. “It seems a little too convenient knowing that our scheduled visit was going to be at 12 p.m., and that the last detainees would be transported out of the facility at 11:30.”
Concerns over advance notice rule
Omar said the outcome was not unexpected after a policy requiring members of Congress to provide one week’s notice before conducting oversight visits was introduced.
“When they instituted the one-week notice, we knew that things were going to be different,” she said.
According to Omar, officials at the facility told lawmakers that the last detainees had left about 30 minutes before their arrival, preventing them from speaking directly with individuals previously held there.
Calls for transparency
Rep. Angie Craig, who joined the inspection, echoed the concerns, describing the situation as unusually timed and raising questions about transparency surrounding federal detention operations.
Craig said she plans to challenge the advance notice requirement, arguing it could undermine effective congressional oversight.
Lawmakers noted that while they observed signs of a broader operational drawdown tied to the “Operation Metro surge,” they remain concerned about whether detainee treatment and conditions can be properly evaluated without direct access to individuals.
Oversight dispute continues
The visit reflects broader tensions between federal agencies and lawmakers over access to detention facilities, particularly regarding notice requirements and the ability to conduct unannounced inspections.
Omar said the situation highlights the need for stronger oversight safeguards to ensure accountability.
“This is exactly why oversight matters,” she said, stressing that lawmakers must be able to independently verify conditions rather than relying solely on official briefings.
