Congresswoman Luz Rivas Demands Answers and Disciplinary Action from ICE for Breaking the Law and Actions of Misconduct

LOS ANGELES – Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA-29) sent a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons to follow up on her and her colleagues attempt to conduct their congressional oversight duties at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, June 7.  

The letter highlights a series of troubling events that Congresswoman Rivas and her colleagues witnessed during their visit, including ICE personnel blocking entry into the building where immigrants are being detained, spraying air irritants near the delegation and advocates, and denying counsel and medicine to detainees. 

“During my attempted visit, your personnel violated federal law by denying the rights of Members of Congress to conduct unannounced oversight visits to facilities operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security,” wrote Congresswoman Rivas. “Further, not only did your personnel break the law, your personnel also broke ICE’s own Employee Code of Conduct, which has caused the public and lawmakers to question your ability to lead, as well as the integrity, judgment, and reliability of your personnel.” 

Congresswoman Rivas is asking for a response from ICE within 24 hours regarding disciplinary actions to personnel as well as detailed explanations as to why immigrants were denied access to an attorney and their medications – all of which are clear breaches of ICE’s employee code of conduct. 

Congresswoman Rivas continued: “This kind of abusive and intimidating behavior has no place in the United States of America where everyone is entitled to due process rights. Everyone in this country has a basic set of rights, which include a right to an attorney, due process, and being treated humanely and with dignity. Unfortunately, none of this seemed to be happening.” 

Background: 

On June 7, 2025 Congresswoman Luz Rivas joined Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35), and Congressman Lou Correa (CA-46) on a congressional oversight visit of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles after reports surfaced of immigrants being held with limited legal access and restricted access to food, water, and medicine.  

The Members’ visit comes after ICE raids took place across the City of Los Angeles that resulted in over 40 people being detained, including SEIU California President David Huerta. 

A full copy of the letter can be found here and below. 

The Honorable Todd Lyons 

Acting Director 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement  

500 12^th St SW 

Washington, DC 20536 

Dear Acting Director Lyons:  

On Saturday, June 7, 2025, I attempted to perform my Congressional oversight duties at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles, alongside Congressmembers Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Norma Torres (CA-35), and Lou Correa CA-46). We were denied entry for a tour and blocked by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in violation of federal law.  

During my attempted visit, your personnel violated federal law by denying the rights of Members of Congress to conduct unannounced oversight visits to facilities operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security as outlined in Section 527(a) of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118–47).¹ Members of Congress are able to visit and inspect DHS facilities as ICE’s website states, “ICE will comply with the law and accommodate Members of Congress seeking to visit/tour an ICE detention facility for the purpose of conducting oversight.”²  

Further, not only did your personnel break the law, your personnel also broke ICE’s own Employee Code of Conduct, which has caused the public and lawmakers to question your ability to lead, as well as the integrity, judgment, and reliability of your personnel. As Members of Congress attempted to visit the facility, I witnessed ICE personnel: 

• Denying Members of Congress from touring the facility, instead telling us that we had to come back during “business hours”;
• Spraying air irritants into the air causing Member of Congress and other individuals to cough uncontrollably and simultaneously;
• Loading detainees out the back and into vans, as if they were trying to hide from us;
• Deliberately honking and making noise to ensure the immigrants would be unable to hear advocates shouting the rights the individuals have;
• Posting a handwritten note on the door stating the attorney and family visits were cancelled for “today”;
• Denying medication to detainees, including a woman who was attempting to get her husband his needed medications. Instead of being able to work with ICE personnel, the woman was immediately denied and told her husband was not in the building which was not true. When I asked DHS personnel again and to confirm, personnel continued to deny medications without confirming if the individual was present. 

This kind of abusive and intimidating behavior has no place in the United States of America where everyone is entitled to due process rights. Everyone in this country has a basic set of rights, which include a right to an attorney, due process, and being treated humanely and with dignity. Unfortunately, none of this seemed to be happening. DHS and ICE personnel broke the law in dealing with Members of Congress and violated the due process rights of the detainees, and severely broke general standards of code of conduct.    

As part of my oversight responsibilities, I am demanding an immediate response in 24 hours to the following questions:  

1. What specific disciplinary actions will you take to DHS and ICE personnel who broke federal law? No one is above the law, therefore will these personnel be arrested or face disciplinary actions such as termination from their federal government position? 
2. Provide a detailed explanation as to why legal representation was denied to those being detained? Additionally, how was that decision made and were you made aware of this action from your personnel? Lastly, please include whether handwritten notes are considered an official and proper way to inform the attorneys of their wrongfully denied access. 
3. Have all federal laws been followed to allow for the humane treatment of detainees, such as receiving needed medications? Will you investigate this matter more closely related to the woman who was not allowed to provide vital medications to her husband?
4. Provide a full and complete list of every detainee who entered the detention center, as well as the detailed protocol of how detainees are being documented. What is the capacity of this detention center? 
5. Attach the Trump Administration’s ICE Employee Code of Conduct and describe how your personnel is either following or not following standards, as well as follow up actions you will take.   

I am demanding an immediate response to the questions above in addition to all DHS and ICE personnel abiding by federal law through immediate access to the Roybal facility, including interviews with detainees, walkthroughs of the full premises, and access to all areas of the facility. I expect a written response no later than 24 hours from your office detailing who authorized the illegal denial of entry and on what grounds. I expect full compliance with federal laws allowing Members of Congress entry to DHS facilities that are being used to detain or otherwise house aliens moving forward, not just in Los Angeles, but in every DHS facility nationwide.  

Sincerely,  

Luz Rivas 

Member of Congress 

CC: Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem 

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