Joe Neguse

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a U.S. Department of Homeland Security policy that restricted members of Congress from accessing Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities.

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colorado) and other Democratic lawmakers had sued over the policy, which required members of Congress to give a seven day notice to access detention facilities and was nearly identical to a previous policy that the court had also blocked.

“The court’s decision today to grant a temporary restraining order against ICE’s unlawful effort to obstruct congressional oversight is a victory for the American people,” Neguse said in a statement. “We will keep fighting to ensure the rule of law prevails.”

Neguse and his Democratic colleagues initially brought a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration over the seven-day policy in late July. The lawsuit argues that federal law prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from using funds appropriated by Congress to prohibit lawmakers from entering detention facilities to conduct oversight.

In December, a federal judge sided with the Democratic lawmakers and issued a temporary restraining order blocking the seven-day policy. However, on Jan. 8, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a new, nearly identical policy reinstating the seven-day notice requirement, leading the Democratic lawmakers to seek emergency relief.

The new policy came days after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis shot and killed a woman, who media reports have identified as Renée Good, a U.S. citizen and 37-year-old mother.

Despite the judge’s initial order temporarily blocking the seven-day policy, the Democratic lawmakers have said they were only notified of the nearly identical, updated policy after three members of Congress from Minnesota attempted to conduct oversight of an immigration facility near Minneapolis.