{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-krishnamoorthi-demands-immediate-dhs-action-after-ice-blocks", "Congressman Krishnamoorthi Demands Immediate DHS Action After ICE Blocks Detainees from Accessing Federally Required Privacy Forms", "2025-12-03", "2025", "2025-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", "krishnamoorthi", "https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem raising alarms over what he describes as persistent, systemic failures by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to provide detainees with access to Privacy Release Form 60-001, the federally required document that allows Members of Congress to lawfully obtain information about individual detainee cases and intervene when rights violations or urgent safety issues arise. Without this form, detainees cannot authorize congressional inquiries, and Congress cannot perform even the most basic oversight functions mandated under federal law.\n\nIn the letter, Congressman Krishnamoorthi details repeated reports from attorneys, families, and advocates that detainees are either denied access to the form entirely or that completed forms \u201care never transmitted to the proper channels.\u201d He cites ICE\u2019s own Congressional Relations Office, which advised that detainees should be able to obtain the form by phone or written request, avenues that, in practice, \u201cdo not function,\u201d according to the congressman.\n\nCongressman Krishnamoorthi wrote that this breakdown has produced what he described as a manufactured catch-22: ICE refuses to share information with Congress without a signed privacy waiver, while simultaneously refusing to provide detainees the very form required to authorize the release. This, he notes, unlawfully obstructs detainees\u2019 rights and \u201cprevents Congress from conducting even basic oversight.\u201d\n\nThe letter underscores that federal law, including the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Judicial Redress Act of 2015, presumes detainees have meaningful access to the required privacy form. The congressman argues denying that access effectively blocks lawful oversight and undermines the department\u2019s own stated procedures.\n\nCongressman Krishnamoorthi calls on DHS to take immediate corrective action, including:\n\nEnsuring all ICE detention facilities provide Privacy Release Form 60-001 to any detainee upon request, without delay or obstruction.\n\nDirecting all field offices, contractors, and personnel to promptly process completed forms and transmit them to congressional offices without exception.\n\nIssuing and publicly posting clear, uniform guidance affirming ICE\u2019s legal obligations regarding privacy waivers and cooperation with congressional inquiries.\n\nHe requests a DHS briefing by December 11 and a detailed plan to remedy and prevent future failures.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-krishnamoorthi-demands-immediate-dhs-action-after-ice-blocks"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5732953324913979, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}