As long-time readers of this newsletter know, the massive growth in ICE detention under the second Trump administration has not been accompanied by a corresponding commitment to public transparency. ICE has dismantled key oversight mechanisms, made it harder for elected officials to enter facilities as required by law, and now publishes less information than in the past about detention deaths. Regardless of what we believe immigration policy should look like, we all deserve to know the facts about what’s happening inside these facilities.
As a representative of southern California’s 49th district and the grandson of Mexican immigrants, Congressman Mike Levin understands the immigration issue well. In recent months, Mr. Levin has raised questions and concerns to the administration about detention practices, visited the Otay Mesa detention center after reports of poor conditions, and refused to support endless spending on the unpopular mass deportation agenda.
As Mr. Levin told The Guardian recently, after visiting the Otay Mesa facility: “It’s really critically important that we continue to show up unannounced as often as feasible to make sure that basic human dignity is being adhered to. …“I’m not one that’s just going to take the word of those involved. I’m going to go there and find out for myself.” Couldn’t have said it better! If you’ve heard me speak about immigration data transparency, you know this is a core principle of my work, as well.
Congressman Levin joins me this Thursday to discuss his ongoing efforts. This discussion is an opportunity to hear directly from an elected official about what Congress is doing—and what you can do—to push back on the current “black box” strategy of immigrant detention and warehousing. Learn more about Congressman Levin’s broader work on border security and immigration here. Our agenda will include:
findings from his recent visit to the Otay Mesa Detention Center with Representative Sara Jacobs
lessons learned from efforts at increasing detention oversight, both past and present
how and why this administration is blocking members of Congress from accessing detention centers (and how he is navigating these challenges)
why he supports immigration reform efforts through the Dignity Act
The event will be hosted on Substack Live and published as a stand-alone post after the event. Please add the event to your calendar and join the conversation on your Substack app or in your browser. I’m afraid we will not have time for Q&A.