ICE BLOCKS CONGRESS MEMBERS FROM SPEAKING TO DETAINEES AT OTERO CENTER

U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez visited the Otero County Processing Center, an ICE detention facility in New Mexico, amidst a push for increased congressional oversight of such centers. During his visit, Vasquez was denied direct communication with detainees and found ICE officials unresponsive to inquiries about detainee treatment, also noting issues like broken phones and toilets. Over 80% of detainees at Otero reportedly have no criminal charges, significantly exceeding the national average. Concerns over conditions and transparency have prompted Democratic lawmakers to sue the Trump administration, and Vasquez is advocating for his "Humane Accountability Act" to improve detention standards. The number of ICE detainees in New Mexico, mirroring a national trend, is increasing due to a recent budget increase for immigration enforcement, with two facilities now at record high detainee populations.