Bennie Thompson: Dem House Members Will Likely Sue Department of Homeland Security

Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS) said Friday on MSNBC’s “The Weeknight” that House members were considering suing the Department of Homeland Security for blocking access to ICE detention centers.

Co-host Michael Steele said, “What recourse do you have to make sure that those individuals behind those doors are held accountable to you as the member of Congress who was on that site and asked for the oversight opportunity that’s required and allowed by law, what recourse do you have?”

Thompson said, “One of the things we’re looking at, to be honest with you, is whether or not we can go to court and force the department to follow the law. The secretary is putting those employees in those facilities in an untenable position because they are now having to break the law based on what their supervisor, or in this instance, the secretary, is saying. It’s not a good position. Democrats believe in the rule of law. If there is an opportunity for members to go to court and hold this administration, for which we’ve done in a number of occasions, accountable for what they’re doing we will do it. We’re talking to the lawyers right now. The law is clear.”

Co-host Symone Sanders-Townsend asked, “Are you currently exploring your legal options as members of Congress to potentially bring a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Noem or some version of that?”

Thompson said, “Oh, there’s no question about it.”

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