U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem delivers remarks to staff at the Department of Homeland Security headquarters on Jan. 28, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta-Pool/Getty Images)
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree has received several reports that attorneys have not been permitted to accompany their clients to routine check-in visits at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in Maine.
In a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday, Pingree requested confirmation of whether a policy exists prohibiting legal counsel from attending routine ICE appointments, and if it does, its legal justification.
“Should this policy exist, it raises significant questions about transparency and the right to representation,” Pingree wrote. “I strongly urge you to repeal any policy that would deprive individuals of their constitutional right to due process.”
Pingree, a Democrat, also formally requested a tour of the ICE field office in Scarborough, writing that local town officials have been denied entry after they raised concerns.
“Clear and consistent communication with community leaders, advocacy organizations, and local officials fosters greater transparency and ensures that enforcement operations are implemented fairly and humanely,” Pingree wrote. “Without these relationships, DHS risks deepening mistrust and eroding the very public confidence it requires to operate effectively.”
Pingree requested a written response to her letter within 30 days. She emphasized in her letter that providing casework and acting as an intermediary to executive agencies is one of the most fundamental services Congress provides to constituents.
“Blocking access to legal counsel is incompatible with our values as a nation — as well as DHS’s stated commitments to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law,” Pingree wrote.
