Ilhan Omar joins Minneapolis protesters after ICE agents remove her from detention center

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA: Several democratic representatives, such as Ilhan Omar and Angie Craig, joined the ongoing protest in Minneapolis on Saturday, January 10, to condemn the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.

Omar and Craig attempted to enter the ICE processing center at the Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling but were denied access, after which they joined the ranks of protesters, along with Kelly Morrison.

Although the trio were briefly allowed inside, they were kicked out soon after. 

Ilhan Omar reveals what she saw inside the detention center

Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig, and Kelly Morrison were briefly allowed entry into the building but were removed after the ICE agents received a message informing them that the representatives’ invitations had been rescinded and that they were denied further access to the building.

She told the reporters outside the building about what she witnessed inside the detention center. She stated that they were taken to the monitoring section and were able to see where people were being held.

The Democrats were also informed that there were two airplanes on standby that were to be flown out today.

These planes would carry detainees to other detention centers within America. However, when Omar asked if the detainees were being flown out of America, the federal officers clarified that was not the case. 

Omar added that while inside the center, she saw about 20 detainees, and although the officers informed them that there were showers, they had not personally seen them. 

“We asked if there were hygiene products provided, and they told us people are not held long enough to need those,” Omar told the reporters outside the Whipple Building.

The Minnesota representative termed the ICE officials' response “insane,” noting that former detainees had claimed they were held in detention centers for prolonged periods. 

Ilhan Omar expresses concern over removal from detention center

While speaking to the reporters outside the detention center, Ilhan Omar said that what happened with her, Morrison, and Craig was a “blatant attempt” to obstruct members of Congress from doing their oversight duties.

“When we appropriate funds from Congress, we are expected by the public to do oversight because the public requires their money to be used with transparency and accountability,” she said.

She added that the ICE agents had decided that the Democratic representatives were no longer allowed to fulfill their constitutional duties. 

Omar also shared a post on X, sharing her experience of the same.

She wrote that she had been denied access to the ICE processing center at the Whipple Building.

She doubled down on what she had told the reporters, writing that members of Congress had a legal right and “constitutional responsibility” to conduct oversight for the detainees. 

“The public deserves to know what is taking place in ICE facilities,” she concluded.