DHS Shuts Down Immigration Detention Ombudsman

The Department of Homeland Security has shut down the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman, an independent body created by Congress to investigate complaints of abuse, misconduct, and poor conditions in immigration detention facilities. The closure was confirmed Tuesday, as the office halted inspections, removed public signage, and archived its website.

DHS attributed the shutdown to a recent congressional funding bill that ended a partial agency shutdown. "DHS did not shut down the Office of Immigration Detention Ombudsman. Congress did," the department stated. "The House passed the DHS appropriations bill without objection, and it was signed into law last week." The legislation provided funding for parts of DHS, such as the Transportation Security Administration and Coast Guard, through the fiscal year but did not explicitly require the ombudsman's office to close.

Established by Congress in 2019, the office reviewed detainee deaths, medical care access, employee misconduct, and civil rights issues involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. It operated separately from those agencies and served as a primary channel for detainees,...