Representative Norma Torres, a Democrat from Pomona, reported being hospitalized after ‘chemical agents’ were used during a Congressional visit to the Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. In a letter sent on Thursday to Todd Lyons, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Torres expressed serious concerns about the incident and demanded accountability.
According to Torres’s letter, the Congressional delegation, which included members of Congress, legal counsel, staff, media, and immigrant rights advocates, was unlawfully denied access to the facility. Torres stated that ICE falsely claimed the presence of over 1,000 protesters to justify the use of chemical agents against the peaceful delegation. This action resulted in Torres requiring emergency medical attention and ongoing medication.
Torres condemned ICE’s actions, citing federal law that prohibits the denial of entry to federal detention facilities by members of Congress. She called the refusal a significant breach of transparency and accountability. Additionally, Torres criticized ICE for failing to maintain accurate updates to its Online Detainee Locator database, causing confusion and distress among families searching for detained loved ones.
In her letter, Torres demanded a full investigation into the use of chemical agents, a formal explanation for the denial of access, and a review of ICE’s communication and detainee information systems. She emphasized that these actions have endangered lives, violated the law, and eroded public trust.
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