Lawmakers 'Challenge' Noem Over ICE Visits, But Not the ICE Itself
Lawmakers are reportedly up in arms because South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has, once again, limited access to ICE detention centers for civilian monitors. The Hill frames this as a bureaucratic spat, highlighting that "lawmakers challenge latest Noem order." One might wonder if their outrage extends to the actual practices within these facilities, or if the primary concern is the ability to
stage a photo-op. This isn't just about 'visits'; it's about transparency for a system routinely scrutinized for human rights abuses. Noem's prior orders in 2021 also restricted access, drawing similar, ultimately ineffectual, protests. The underlying issue—the detention system itself, the conditions inside—remains largely unchallenged by the same lawmakers now decrying observational roadblocks.
It's a classic case of debating the keyhole, not the horrors behind the door.