Reps. Jay Obernolte, Raul Ruiz and Norma Torres all represent the Inland Empire in Congress.
But when it comes to visiting the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, only one — Obernolte — was able to go inside the detention center in San Bernardino County’s High Desert on Friday, July 11.
While Obernolte, R-Hesperia, praised conditions at the immigration detention facility, Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, and Torres, D-Ontario, denounced what they said were unlawful actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Reached via email, ICE said Obernolte “was scheduled for an approved, authorized visit” and followed U.S. Department of Homeland Security policy that requires at least seven days’ notice for visiting detention facilities.
“Congressman Raul Ruiz and Congresswoman Norma Torres showed up to Rep. Obernolte’s approved visit; ignoring the established … directive regarding visiting ICE facilities,” ICE’s statement read.
“They were advised that ICE would be more than happy to accommodate their visit — provided it was scheduled in accordance with (Homeland Security) policy.”
In an Instagram post, Ruiz said ICE “is already trying to spin that our visit today did not come with advanced notice. We did notify them — twice.”
The post included what appeared to be emails from Ruiz’s and Torres’ office. The emails, one dated July 3 — eight days before the visit — and the other dated July 7, inform ICE of the lawmakers’ requests to visit Adelanto.
In an emailed statement, Torres said: “I’m glad Congressman Obernolte had the opportunity to visit the Adelanto facility — but Democrats deserve the same access.”
She said her office has been emailing Homeland Security “for weeks” to schedule a visit, “only to be met with shifting policies and ever-changing excuses for why Democratic members of Congress can’t get in.”
“DHS is not above the law. Denying access to Democrats is not only illegal — it’s a dangerous abuse of power,” Torres said.
“Congressional oversight isn’t optional; it’s our constitutional duty. If DHS continues to obstruct and discriminate, Congress must act — through investigations, funding restrictions, or any means necessary to restore accountability and uphold the rule of law.”
Congressional visits, especially by Democrats, to ICE facilities have become a heated topic in recent weeks as the Trump administration cracks down on undocumented immigrants with a special focus on California.
In New Jersey, Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver was indicted last month on felony assault charges following a scuffle with authorities at an ICE detention center in Newark. McIver, who said she was conducting an oversight visit, denied wrongdoing and said the federal charges are politically motivated.
Locally, Torres said she was hospitalized last month after federal authorities used chemical agents on her and other members of a congressional delegation that sought access to the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles, which houses detainees awaiting immigration proceedings.
On June 17, five Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, toured the Adelanto facility, which holds more than 1,200 detainees and is run by a private contractor.
At a news conference after the tour, the lawmakers demanded better conditions at Adelanto.
One of them, Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, said she spoke with one detainee who was not fed for 12 hours after being taken into custody and others who were denied access to telephones and went 10 days without a change of clothes or towels.
Chu and Reps. Gil Cisneros, D-Covina and Derek Tran, D-Orange, said they were denied access to the Adelanto facility on June 8.
Obernolte — Adelanto is in his district — said in a video posted to social media that he wanted to visit the facility “because I’ve read some terrible things in the press with allegations about detainees being mistreated, facilities being dirty, things of that nature.”
“I have to say, though, from what I saw today, we are treating these detainees as humanely as possible. This facility was extremely clean … We verified that the detainees have access to legal counsel and that they can come in and visit.”
At the end of the video, Obernolte said: “I’m going to continue to monitor the situation in the future. But from what I can see, we’re doing our absolute best, under the circumstances, to treat these detainees with humanity and with compassion.”
It was not Obernolte’s first visit to the facility, spokesperson Connor Chapinski said via email, noting the congressmember, who previously served in the state legislature, has visited “many times over the years.”