After ProPublica Investigation, House Democrats Demand Answers on U.S. Citizens Detained by Immigration Agents

House Democrats have asked the Trump administration to explain why US citizens have been detained by immigration agents and how agents check people’s citizenship. Their request follows reporting that found more than 500 citizens had been detained, raising concerns about constitutional rights and the government’s lack of transparent tracking.

In an October letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, California Representative Lou Correa and 39 other lawmakers requested figures on detentions, details of how cases are tracked, and information about agents’ training. The investigation also found more than 100 citizens questioned about their citizenship, 63 detained while recording, 36 held for at least a day without contact with a lawyer or family, and roughly a dozen deported, mostly children. DHS says it is not arresting citizens and describes its operations as highly targeted; a bill introduced last month would make it easier for citizens to sue over wrongful ICE detention.