Padilla Conducts Unannounced Oversight Visit of SFO De Facto Immigration Detention Facility

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Immigration Subcommittee, conducted an unannounced oversight visit to San Francisco International Airport's (SFO) de facto Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immigration detention facility.

Following direct inquiries to his office and recent reporting about conditions at the facility, Padilla conducted the unannounced visit to see conditions firsthand and ensure the federal government is meeting its legal and humanitarian obligations to people in its custody.

"No one in our state or country should have to live in fear of this Administration's cruelty and attacks on immigrants. And yet, there are extremely concerning reports that valid green card holders and other immigrants are being detained at SFO for days on end without access to adequate medical care or legal representation," said Senator Padilla. "Constituents have reached out to my office with serious concerns about what is happening inside immigration detention facilities, including spaces like the one at SFO, and those concerns demand answers. As a United States Senator, I have a constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight, see these facilities firsthand, and hold the federal government accountable for how it treats people in its custody. Today's visit was an important step in continuing to shine a light on a cruel and inhumane system enabled by the Trump Administration that operates without transparency or accountability."

This year, Padilla has made multiple visits to immigration detention facilities across California, including the California City and Otay Mesa detention centers, where he heard directly from people being detained and witnessed abhorrent conditions firsthand. His visits have underscored the importance of congressional oversight at a time when the Trump Administration is rapidly expanding immigration detention with limited transparency and accountability.

Last month, Padilla called out the Trump Administration's continued abuses of power and inhumane treatment of detained immigrants. He also demanded DHS immediately halt its reckless plan to equip ICE officers with electric shock gloves.

In June, Padilla and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) sounded the alarm over the significant increase in deaths among detainees in ICE custody since January 2025, expressing concern over the announcement of the 50th reported death in ICE custody under the Trump Administration. Padilla also condemned Republicans' partisan bill to provide ICE and CBP with an extra $70 billion without necessary reforms and forced a vote on his amendment that would require ICE officers to wear body cameras while on-duty.

###