Kweisi Mfume Hopes Spirits ‘Haunt’ Black ICE Director’s Soul

Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) schooled a Black U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on the correlation of immigrant treatment and the history of enslaved African Americans after being denied a tour of ICE facilities amid allegations of inhumane conditions.

In a video obtained by CBS News, Mfume, 76, told the director of a Baltimore ICE facility that he hopes the spirit of Black ancestors “haunts your soul” and wanted her to “realize that that is more important than a job.”

“I’m old enough to remember when Black people were snatched off the streets in this country. Because they were Black, not because they committed a crime or were suspected of anything, and that was not that long ago,” Mfume said. “That’s a perspective that haunts many of us. It certainly haunts me. And I would hope as a Black woman coming out and telling us what you did without any real explanation, I hope later today that that sort of spirit haunts your soul and that you realize that that is more important than a job.”

The congressman was supported by Democratic Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen, as well as Reps. Johnny Olszewski Jr., Sarah Elfreth, and Glenn Ivey were denied entry to the George H. Fallon Federal Building in Baltimore, where the ICE detention facility is located. An ICE spokesperson claimed that the lawmakers were allegedly denied access due to not giving advanced notice. Mfume said that his position gives him the right to oversee what’s going on.

“I along with Members of the Maryland Congressional delegation, were just denied entry into the Baltimore ICE holding facility — despite having full legal authority. As the Ranking Member of the Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations, I retain the legal authority to conduct Congressional oversight,” he wrote on X. “The decision by ICE to not allow entry is a violation of federal law and a clear prevention of our constitutional duty to ensure transparency and accountability. ICE does not operate above the law and must never be allowed to do so.”

Additionally, the ICE official, who hasn’t been identified yet, told the lawmakers that the building was just an office and not a detention facility. Alsobrooks said this isn’t the first time such an incident has occurred. A court brief filed by the Maryland Attorney General and other congressional staffers claims immigrants are being held in “hold rooms” for days at a time in the facility, according to Maryland Matters. Those identified rooms are designed to hold detainees for no more than 12 hours while waiting to make an appearance before a judge. 

Comments on the video seemingly support the claims of the lawmakers, encouraging them to keep showing up and fighting for the rights of illegally detained immigrants. “Please keep trying!! My friend & colleague was picked up on her way to work Monday and is in the Baltimore facility,” @_kiimmychoo_1967 wrote. 

“Her mom brought her here as a child, and she has done things by the book to live here & work as an adult. Her mother, husband and 3 kids are praying for a miracle. She is so scared. This is inhumane & incomprehensible!”

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