Democratic Congressman Marc Veasey made an unannounced visit to a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility on Monday in an effort to demand accountability from the agency, which has failed to substantively respond to multiple inquiries from the congressman—including one stemming from a Texas Observer investigation earlier this year.
“I’m here today to get answers,” Veasey said. “I have letters from myself and other members of Congress and we’re simply asking for answers.”
Veasey, who wanted to carry out an inspection at the Dallas Field Office (which is part processing center and part office building), was not granted entry despite having authority as a member of Congress to conduct unannounced oversight visits to Department of Homeland Security facilities. “There’s a lot of secrecy and game playing right now,” Veasey said. “I’m sick of it.”
On February 19, the Observer reported that James “Jim” Joseph Rodden—an ICE assistant chief counsel representing the agency in immigration court in Dallas—operates a white supremacist X account named GlomarResponder, based on an overwhelming number of biographical details that the Observer matched through publicly available documents, other social media activity, and courtroom observation. Reached in-person at the time, Rodden said only to “call [his] press office,” and an ICE spokesperson said the agency “will not comment on the substance of this article pending further investigation.”
The GlomarResponder account has posted that “Migrants’ are all criminals” and that “All blacks are foreign to my people,” in addition to posting apparent praise of Adolf Hitler, among numerous other similar posts. Following the Observer’s reporting, the account was set to private, but it is still active and routinely opines on issues including immigration. “How about we deport all the people who don’t belong here, rather than turn nice neighborhoods into third world bug hives,” GlomarResponder wrote on June 28.
It is unclear whether Rodden still works for ICE.
Following the Observer‘s initial story, Rodden was not present at court hearings where he was scheduled to appear. “Rodden has not been spotted at the Executive Office for Immigration Review courts, but the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor also has not confirmed if he was fired,” an immigration attorney who works in Dallas and asked not to be named told the Observer for this story. “Even the government attorneys I’ve spoken with cannot get a clear answer on that.”
The Observer has repeatedly requested an update from ICE about Rodden’s employment, but the agency has declined to answer. Veasey is one of three Congress members who have requested information from the agency about Rodden.
On February 24, Veasey sent a letter about the Observer’s reporting to then-acting deputy director of ICE Kenneth Genalo demanding “a full and transparent account of what actions your agency is taking to investigate this matter” and a response within 30 days.”
On March 6, ICE responded to Veasey in a letter, in which it acknowledged “recent media reports alleging an ICE employee operated a white supremacist social-media account” and stated that the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) “understands the seriousness of the allegations and will ensure the allegations are addressed appropriately, fairly, and expeditiously.”
The letter, which the Observer reviewed, further stated that typically “OPR administrative investigations are completed within 120 days” and that “OPR is unable to share additional information regarding this matter.” The letter did not confirm Rodden’s status with the agency, and Veasey condemned the lack of clarity later that month.
A spokesperson for Veasey told the Observer the congressman has continued to seek answers from ICE regarding Rodden. Now, well past ICE’s own internal 120-day estimate for the duration of the investigation, Veasey’s office still has not received a second response or any substantive information.
“We have not heard anything back,” Veasey told the Observer. “It’s ridiculous that there’s a white supremacist that would be working at an ICE facility. That makes absolutely no sense other than the fact that they want to signal to the other white supremacists and other KKK people out there that under this administration things are going to be different and you’re not going to have to worry about losing your job.”
The status of the investigation into Rodden wasn’t the only unanswered inquiry Veasey sought to address during his Monday visit to the Dallas ICE processing center.
On July 28, Veasey sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons, demanding immediate answers regarding credible reports of inhumane treatment of detainees at the facility. And on September 30, Veasey sent another letter to Noem and Lyons demanding immediate answers regarding the handling of immigration appointments at the location, following the September 24 shooting at the site, which ultimately left two detainees dead, and the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has caused appointments, including citizenship ceremonies, to be canceled.
“We’ve heard awful stories about sleep deprivation, about people being denied food and water, and about people being held in this facility longer than they should,” Veasey said during a press conference following his attempted site visit. “I don’t know what’s going on in there, but if what is being told to me is wrong, open up the doors and show me.”
Editor’s Note: Exiting extremism can be a difficult process. If you or someone you love is caught up in hate or extremist politics, there are free resources that can help. Life After Hate and Parents for Peace are two non-profit organizations that operate help lines and provide support to help individuals and families recover from extremism.
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