NEW YORK CITY — TWO CONGRESSMEMBERS were denied an oversight visit at federal immigration court on Wednesday, June 18, the day after City Comptroller Brad Lander was arrested for aiding an immigrant whose case had been dismissed, reports CBS News. Reps. Dan Goldman (D-10) and Jerry Nadler (D-12) planned to observe court proceedings at 26 Federal Plaza, the same location where Lander was arrested on Tuesday. The congressmembers also requested access to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office located inside the same building.
Goldman, a former prosecutor in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District sits on the House Judiciary (with Nadler) and Homeland Security Committees. They provided advance notice, even though the existing statute allows them to appear unannounced. Upon being denied access, Goldman clarified that the statute “very clearly says that we are allowed into any facility that is being used ‘to detain or otherwise house aliens.’”
According to the Congressional website Constitution Annotated, the U.S. Supreme Court’s longstanding interpretation of Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 recognizes Congress’ “plenary power over immigration, giving it almost complete authority to decide whether foreign nationals … may enter or remain in the United States.”
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