Congressman Cohen Demands Answers about ICE Enforcement Policies

MEMPHIS - Six weeks after his initial request, Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today renewed his demand for information about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies, priorities and transparency from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Earlier today, the Trump Administration asked the Supreme Court to consider the challenge to the deportations of Venezuelans accused without evidence of being members of a terrorist gang.

Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

"It is unacceptable that my letter seeking information about people being detained and deported by ICE has been ignored for six weeks while the District court seeking the same information has been treated with contempt by Trump Administration lawyers. The American public wants clarity on who is being rounded up, and why, after clear indications many were victims of careless errors. I demand that my questions be answered."

Congressman Cohen's original February 13 letter reads in part:

"I believe it is essential to focus our limited interior enforcement resources on apprehending and deporting those who are most disruptive to our communities, especially violent criminals. In your public statements, you appear to agree with that sentiment and describe your agency's focus on the 'worst of the worst.' However, there have been conflicting reports about who Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is detaining, and I would appreciate clarification.

"ICE has not released comprehensive data for its apprehensions and removals this year. The limited data points that have been posted on social media do not indicate any prior criminal offenses."

The letter then asks Secretary Noem to answer a series of questions about the apprehension of unauthorized migrants; whether they had been convicted of violent crimes and, if so, in what jurisdictions; how many have been sent to Guantanamo Bay and, of those, which had prior convictions for violent crimes, and in which jurisdictions.

See that letter here.

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