Congresswoman Veronica Escobar

Dear john,

Welcome to the weekly edition of my newsletter. Here you'll find recaps of some of the most important things that happened in Washington and El Paso, my reactions, and news I'd love to bring to your attention.

Video of the week:

This week, I questioned Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Rodney Scott, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Joseph Edlow, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) were also a part of the hearing.

You can watch my full remarks by clicking the image below or reading the transcript here.

In case you missed it this week:

Congresswoman Escobar Presses Homeland Security Watchdog to Investigate Detainee Locator System Failures

Last week, I sent a letter with my congressional colleagues to press the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General to investigate Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) failure to provide accurate information about where detainees are being held.

The DHS Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) allows the public to determine whether a person is in ICE custody and, if so, at which facility. ICE’s policy has historically been to update ODLS within eight hours of a person’s arrival at an ICE facility. But recent reports indicate that some individuals are not being accurately added to ODLS for days — and sometimes weeks. In some cases, individuals are deported before their location is ever added to the system.

To learn more, read my full press release here.

Democracy depends on all of us, but especially young people, and programs like this help ensure the next generation is informed, empowered, and ready to shape our future.

I met with students from Loretto participating in the Close Up program to talk about civic engagement and the role of government.

I met with the CEO of the Military Family Advisory Network to discuss how we can better support service members and their families.

Military families are central to communities like El Paso. I’m grateful to MFAN for sharing insights from their Military Family 360 survey to inform how we deliver the resources and support these families deserve.

In the news:

The Associated Press – Trump’s budget director defends White House plan for massive boost in military spending

The Washington Post – How to force the House to do what you want

The Guardian – ‘Psychological torture’: outcry over conditions at ICE desert detention camp

Upcoming Events and Deadlines:

Community Listening Session on Fort Bliss Data Center Project

El Pasoans—make your voices heard.

I’m grateful to Army leadership for agreeing to my request for engagement with our community as they move forward with the White House initiative of a new data center at Fort Bliss. The listening session this Wednesday will allow El Pasoans — especially those whose neighborhoods will be closest to the data center — to talk to leaders directly involved in the planning.

The Army has not yet finalized their contract with the developer, so this is an important opportunity for everyone. I encourage El Pasoans to attend, ask questions, and share their perspectives as plans move forward. This level of transparency is important, and your input is critical.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 22nd | 6:30–7:30 PM (doors open at 6pm)
WHERE: Wyndham El Paso Airport Hotel Conference Center

May Town Hall

Save the date for my next town hall!

WHEN: Saturday, May 9th | 10:00 AM

WHERE: De Valle High School | 950 Bordeaux Dr, El Paso, TX 79907

As always, your thoughts and concerns guide my work every day. If there's any other content or ideas you have for this newsletter, please never hesitate to share them with me by clicking the link here.

Veronica Escobar
Member of Congress

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