Hundreds of individuals have been arrested throughout ICE operations in Minneapolis over the previous two weeks. A number of attorneys allege that for a few of these detained, together with not less than one U.S. citizen, the Division of Homeland Safety is denying their constitutional proper to see an lawyer.
4 attorneys informed ABC Information they’ve been denied entry to their shoppers on the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Constructing in Minneapolis, the place they’re being held, which they are saying would violate fifth and sixth Modification rights to due course of and the correct to seek the advice of with counsel.
“ICE brokers have been bodily limiting me from seeing them,” mentioned one immigration lawyer, who requested to not be recognized. “I stood outdoors the lawyer visitation room for about 4 hours on Thursday, making an attempt to see considered one of my shoppers who had been there for a number of days. I stored saying, you bought to let me see my consumer. And so they simply stored repeating, we do not do lawyer visitation.”
A person is detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers throughout an immigration raid in Minneapolis on Jan. 18, 2026. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Leah Millis/Reuters
The Division of Homeland Safety denied that any constitutional violations are going down on the Whipple Federal Constructing.
In a press release, a spokesperson for DHS denied the attorneys’ claims, including that each one detainees “have alternatives to speak with their relations and legal professionals.”
“The information are unlawful aliens in detention have entry to telephones they’ll use to contact their households and legal professionals. Moreover, ICE provides all unlawful aliens arrested a court-approved listing of free or low-cost attorneys. All detainees obtain full due course of,” the spokesperson mentioned partially.
The immigration lawyer informed ABC Information they’ve visited shoppers held on related immigration fees on the Whipple constructing for the final decade with out challenge. The visitation denials of the previous week, they mentioned, are new and unprecedented.
The Whipple constructing has been a main facility the place folks detained throughout DHS’ “Operation Metro Surge” are being briefly held. Most are finally processed and despatched to detention amenities throughout the nation.
The constructing has additionally been the epicenter of clashes between anti-ICE protesters and federal brokers since an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good on Jan. 7.
The attorneys who spoke to ABC Information work independently of each other. ABC Information is withholding the identification of three of them as a consequence of fears that federal brokers might retaliate in opposition to their shoppers nonetheless in custody.
Federal immigration officers outdoors Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Constructing, Jan. 15, 2026, in Minneapolis.
John Locher/AP
Attorneys say they’ve obtained a wide range of explanations for why they can’t see their shoppers, together with claims that they didn’t have appointments, that their shoppers didn’t ask for them by title, and that the Whipple constructing can not accommodate attorney-client visits. None of these causes is legally legitimate, in accordance with the attorneys.
“There’s nothing within the Structure that talks about accommodating the federal government,” mentioned Legal professional Robert Sicoli, who informed ABC Information he was denied entry to his consumer on the constructing final Wednesday. “It’s a violation of constitutional rights.”
“One ICE agent mentioned if we allow you to see your shoppers, we must let all of the attorneys see their shoppers, and picture the chaos,” mentioned one other lawyer who requested to not be named. “And I mentioned to that individual, yeah, you do must let all of the attorneys see their shoppers. You do must accommodate that. That’s the Structure. You selected to place them right here. I did not deliver this man right here, you probably did.”
One other lawyer described going to the Whipple constructing to attempt to see his consumer, a U.S. citizen and an Iraq Conflict veteran, who he says was a bystander to an immigration enforcement operation close to his dwelling.
“They informed me that as a result of my consumer had not requested me by title, that I couldn’t see him,” the distinguished native felony protection lawyer informed ABC Information. “I’ve been working towards regulation in Minnesota for nearly 20 years, and I’ve by no means been denied entry to a consumer.”
The immigration lawyer agreed.
“We have blatant constitutional violations they usually’re intentional, it isn’t unintended, however no person cares they usually’re doubling down.”
Folks protest in opposition to the deadly taking pictures of Renee Nicole Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, throughout a rally outdoors the Whipple Constructing in Minneapolis, January 8, 2026.
Tim Evans/Reuters
That lawyer described one other instance, making an attempt to see a detained consumer who has extreme medical issues and desires particular medicines.
“His household had been making an attempt to drop off medicines, and his household had not confirmed that he had obtained the medicines that he wants for his life,” mentioned the lawyer. “So, I particularly informed ICE that I want to speak to this man to verify he acquired his medicines. And so they would not let me see him.”
All attorneys ABC Information spoke to known as the DHS denial a blatant lie, citing their very own private experiences as proof.
The immigration lawyer additionally mentioned entry to an lawyer by telephone is totally different from entry to an lawyer in individual.
“If ICE is making an attempt to say, ‘Oh, it is effective, you’ll be able to simply have your consumer name you and you may discuss and focus on their case over the telephone,’ that is completely unacceptable from an attorney-client standpoint. [Federal authorities] can and certain are listening in to these telephone calls.”
Federal officers stand outdoors the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Constructing throughout a protest on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Minneapolis.
Yuki Iwamura/AP
In latest months, different attorneys have raised related claims in cities additionally grappling with a surge of immigration enforcement below the Trump administration. In September in New York Metropolis, a federal decide ordered that DHS present detainees a technique to make confidential calls to their legal professionals inside 24 hours of being detained at a holding facility at 26 Federal Plaza.
In October, detainees on the ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois, filed a lawsuit claiming they have been being held in overcrowded and unsanitary situations in addition to being denied confidential and environment friendly entry to counsel.
“It hurts your head the varieties of authorized violations they’re partaking in and the video games they’re taking part in,” mentioned the felony protection lawyer. “It’s disgusting. This isn’t the America I really like.”
