Congressman Christian Menefee Tours Houston ICE Detention Facility Urging Immigration Reform
HOUSTON, TX — This weekend, Congressman Christian Menefee (TX-18) conducted an oversight visit to the Houston Contract Detention Facility, operated by CoreCivic under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A federal court reaffirmed the right of Members of Congress to conduct these visits just weeks ago, after the Trump administration tried to block them.
The facility currently holds around 750 detainees, who spend up to 20 hours per day confined to a single room. Around 40% are detained at the facility not because of a criminal conviction, but simply because they are undocumented. “Trump promised the American people he was going after violent criminals,” said Congressman Menefee. “But hundreds of people at this facility are simply not that. They are members of our community, being held in incarceration-type conditions for 20 hours a day. This cruelty makes no one safer.”
“Americans agree that violent criminals should be deported and that border communities deserve protection. But what the Trump administration is doing goes far beyond that,” said Congressman Menefee. “My visit showed that the administration is demonizing, rounding up, and detaining people who have been contributing to our communities instead of focusing on violent criminals.”
“Immigrants are our neighbors. So many are business owners, workers, and part of the fabric of our communities,” Congressman Menefee said. “Congress must find a pathway to citizenship for long-term residents who are here, living with their families, contributing to our communities, and not getting into trouble. That is the immigration system the American people deserve, and it is nowhere close to what we have today.”
Beyond the detention facility, the Trump administration has radicalized ICE. Agents have terrorized communities across the country and killed at least three people. Congressman Menefee will continue to vote against ICE funding until the administration is held accountable and the agency is reformed.
“What we’ve seen from ICE in the streets shows we need real immigration reform. That we’re detaining so many people who have committed no crime is just more evidence of that,” Congressman Menefee said. “I will keep doing this oversight work, keep asking hard questions, and keep pushing for a system that is actually fair.”
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About Congressman Christian Menefee (TX-18)
Rep. Christian D. Menefee represents Texas’s 18th Congressional District, covering communities across the Houston area. He was sworn into office on February 2, 2026.