Adriano Espaillat

Espaillat, Watson Coleman, Booker Introduce the Governor’s Right to Inspect Act of 2026 | Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Position: Sponsors introduced the Governor's Right to Inspect Act of 2026, which would give governors the right to conduct oversight visits to immigration detention centers to assess health and safety conditions and detainee human rights.

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) have introduced the Governor’s Right to Inspect Act during the 119th Congress. The bicameral bill aims to provide governors the right to conduct oversight visits to immigration detention centers to oversee health and safety conditions and ensure basic human rights. The legislation comes at a moment of escalating alarm about conditions inside immigration detention facilities and the steady dismantling of federal oversight mechanisms meant to safeguard detainees’ health, safety, and civil rights. For years, investigations have uncovered patterns of substandard—and at times outright inhumane—treatment, including medical neglect, preventable deaths, and chronically unsafe living conditions. Several governors, including New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, have attempted to conduct inspections to protect the people held within their states, only to be blocked by federal authorities, leaving them unable to verify whether state laws are being upheld. “Nearly 50 individuals have died while in ICE custody since the start of 2025, the highest death toll over the last 20 years, raising urgent concerns about the conditions of medical care and failures at these facilities,” said Rep. Espaillat. “I am introducing the Governor’s Right to Inspect Act of 2026 to protect the constitutional and civic interest of governors in upholding the welfare of individuals residing at facilities within their states. Given the excruciating circumstances we have witnessed nationwide, and the deteriorating conditions reported at the Delaney Hall detention facility in New Jersey, we must do all we can to guarantee basic humanity, health, and safety oversight.” “Delaney Hall first made national news last year when the Mayor of Newark, Ray Baraka, was arrested for insisting that health inspectors be granted access to do their jobs. Nearly a year later, Governor Sherrill was first prevented from entering Delaney Hall to conduct a similar inspection and then “allowed” to enter on limited terms, without full access. These federal facilities have been credibly accused of serious violations of the basic standards of health and safety. Federal law gives Members of Congress the right to access these facilities and extending that right to governors will ensure greater accountability for despicable outcomes," said Rep. Watson Coleman. “No detention facility in New Jersey or anywhere in this nation should be allowed to operate without robust oversight. I have seen firsthand the inhumane conditions at Delaney Hall and detention centers around this country that should alarm every American. Governors and state officials have a duty to protect the health and safety of people within their borders, and taxpayers deserve to know what is happening inside these facilities,” said Senator Booker. “As this Administration continues to detain more people who pose no threat to public safety, transparency and accountability are not optional — they are essential. This legislation ensures that state officials can finally hold the operators of these facilities to account.” The Governor’s Right to Inspect Act would ensure that governors are not denied entry into immigration detention facilities, authorizing on-the-ground health and safety inspections. This bill is a critical step to supplementing existing federal inspection programs and ensuring that governors have oversight within their states. Read the full legislation here. Issues:Immigration

Espaillat Denounces House Republicans' Efforts to Allocate Additional $70B to ICE Without Oversight | Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Position: Opposes the House and Senate budget package providing approximately $70 billion in additional funding to ICE and Border Patrol without added oversight or reforms, and calls for accountability on immigration enforcement and cost-of-living issues.

WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) issued the following scathing rebuke of House Republicans’ increased budget allocation to fund ICE: “Donald Trump and Republicans simply do not care about the problems that the American people are facing. This week, the House will consider the Reckless Republican Budget that hands ICE a blank check to brutalize Americans and does nothing to lower the sky-high cost of groceries, gas, or health care. And it doesn’t stop there. Last week, at 5 o’clock in the morning, the Senate passed a budget that gives ICE and Border Patrol another $70 billion in addition to the over $170 billion they gave the agency last year – without the commonsense reforms New Yorkers are demanding. “As a senior appropriator, this budget does nothing to decrease the burden felt by my constituents and families across the nation. Republicans have again failed to work collaboratively to bring down the cost of groceries, gas, or health care – which are all spiking due to their failed policies and Donald Trump’s war with Iran. And Senate Republicans voted against amendments that would have stopped the DOJ from giving $1.8 billion in taxpayer dollars to right-wing allies and violent insurrectionists. Enough is enough– as ICE is brutalizing our communities, killing Americans in the streets, and locking up innocent families and children without due process or cause. While American families are struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet, Trump allies are getting richer. I am continuing my push for accountability and to lower costs for my constituents and families around the nation, not turning a blind eye to corruption and passing a budget that hands over billions of dollars for the Department of Homeland Security’s violent mass deportation policies. I maintain my opposition towards ICE and voted against this funding package that will bolster federal support for ICE without oversight.” ### Issues:HealthcareHousingImmigration

Representative Adriano Espaillat Slams House Republicans’ Cuts to Affordable Housing | Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Position: Opposes the House Republicans' fiscal year 2027 THUD appropriations bill, arguing it reduces affordable housing production, eviction prevention grants, housing counseling, fair housing enforcement, Section 8 vouchers, public housing capital funding, and transportation investment.

WASHINGTON, DC – Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) denounced House Republicans’ efforts to advance their fiscal year 2027 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) funding bill out of the full committee. While Americans struggle with the high cost of living, the bill makes it more expensive for Americans to keep a roof over their heads, commute to work and school, and have a chance at homeownership. “I have been adamant in my opposition to the House Appropriations Committee Republicans’ bill that drastically reduces our ability to make roads and highways safer and severely limits the pathways to home ownership for communities,” said Espaillat. “With declining public investments, low-income families are at risk. Today, the United States has a shortage of more than 7.2 million affordable rental homes, including in my district, and this bill will deprive many Americans of upwards 27,000 additional rental units each year. In historically disadvantaged districts like mine, there are neighborhoods where more than 30% of renters spend more than half of their income on rent. The Republican-backed legislation: Does nothing to address the rising cost of living by slashing investments in programs that expand affordable housing production and help communities fund locally driven solutions to cut red tape and eliminating eviction prevention grants that help families stay in their homes. Strips away opportunities for families to become homeowners or access safe, decent, affordable housing by slashing housing counseling assistance and cutting the fair housing enforcement work that protects housing choice for all Americans. Increases congestion on roads and hurts our economy by stalling supply chain networks, walking away from critical public-private investments that advance our transportation systems, keep our construction workers on the job, and grow American manufacturer and supplier businesses. “For the one in seven New Yorkers who rely on the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), many face significant backlogs in capital needs updates and this Republican-backed bill does nothing to help them,” Espaillat continued. “Rather than confronting the elevated costs of living, this bill promoted by House Republicans will diminish critical programs like Section 8 vouchers, the Public Housing Capital Fund, and the HOME program. I firmly voted against this bill that would further strip basic protections for tenants and make it easier for landlords to evict families and separate mixed-status households in federally assisted housing.” ### Issues:Housing

Espaillat, Lofgren, and Wyden Lead Congressional Efforts to Close Data Broker Loophole | Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Position: The release expresses support for an amendment prohibiting federal law enforcement agencies from purchasing personal data of U.S. residents and travelers from data brokers, citing Fourth Amendment protections and concerns about government surveillance.

WASHINGTON, DC — Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) applaud the House Appropriations Committee’s recent adoption of Congressman Espaillat’s amendment to close the data broker loophole. The amendment, which received bipartisan support, prohibits the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and ATF from using taxpayer dollars to purchase the personal data of those living or traveling in the United States. The Espaillat amendment is derived from the Fourth Amendment is Not For Sale Act, bipartisan legislation authored by Rep. Lofgren, Senator Wyden, and Republican colleagues. Adoption of the amendment will deliver substantive protections to millions of residents and travelers in the United States, whose data have been purchased from third party vendors through the Data Broker Loophole and subsequently used by the Trump Administration to target immigrants, political opponents, among others. “Now more than ever in our digitally connected society, it is critical that our personal information remains protected and not easily accessible or sold to federal agents to further President Trump’s targeted attacks against immigrant communities and political opponents,” said Rep. Espaillat. “Adoption of my amendment was a major, bipartisan victory that will further the shared momentum in support of new, strengthened protections around our private data.” "We must prevent intelligence agencies from purchasing our data to get around the 4th Amendment," Rep. Lofgren said. "Our digital data opens a window into the most sensitive areas of our private life, and it's critical that Congress protects Americans' right to privacy. I thank Congressman Espaillat for introducing our legislation as an amendment, and I thank the House Appropriations Committee for protecting Americans' civil liberties." “Congressman Espaillat deserves a lot of credit for putting on a full court press to pass this amendment and secure commonsense protections for Americans’ rights,” said Sen. Wyden. “I’m proud to be working with Representatives Espaillat and Lofgren to stop Donald Trump from abusing personal data and end-run the Fourth Amendment. It is long past time for Congress to crack down on shady data brokers and government purchases of sensitive data without any court oversight.”

Espaillat and Menendez Plan Wellness and Oversight Visit to Delaney Hall Detention Center | Rep. Adriano Espaillat

WASHINGTON, DC -- On Thursday, April 2, Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08) will visit the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey, to conduct congressional oversight and assess the welfare and due process of Pastor Yeison Cortes Vazquez. The visit comes as Pastor Cortes Vazquez remains in ICE custody despite having no criminal record and deep ties to his faith community. His bond hearing is scheduled for later in the day. The Members will be joined by faith leaders, underscoring the moral urgency of the situation and concerns from national advocates regarding the detention of a minister during a sacred period. WHO: Representative Adriano Espaillat, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Representative Rob Menendez (NJ-08) Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero Rev. Dan Mendez Rev. Enid Almanza Local & National Advocates WHAT: Oversight & Wellness Visit/ Press Conference at Delaney Hall Detention WHEN: Thursday, April 2nd at 10:00 a.m. EDT WHERE: Delaney Hall Detention Facility 451 Doremus Avenue Newark, NJ 07105 # # # Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/. Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov

Ranking Member Espaillat Denounces House Republicans Bill to Further Trump Administration Corruption | Rep. Adriano Espaillat

Position: The release opposes the House Republicans' 2027 Legislative Branch funding bill, arguing that it weakens government oversight by cutting GAO funding and eliminating over 1,000 jobs, undermines congressional checks on executive power, and fails to allow DACA recipients to work in the Legislative Branch.

WASHINGTON — Today, House Appropriations Committee Republicans released their 2027 Legislative Branch funding bill, which weakens government oversight and aids and abets President Trump in continuing to steal money promised to the middle class, working class, and vulnerable Americans. For 2027, the bill includes a total of $5.4 billion, a decrease of $125 million or 2 percent, below 2026. This total excludes the Senate items. The legislation: Opens the door to more corruption within the Trump administration by weakening government oversight, slashing funding for the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) and eliminating over 1,000 jobs critical to eliminating waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Allows President Trump to continue to steal money promised to the American taxpayer by weakening checks on the unlawful withholding of funds. Does nothing to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to work in the Legislative Branch. “Investing in our legislative branch is investing in the foundation of our democracy. Unfortunately, this funding bill makes a devastating cut to the Government Accountability Office, a vital information-gathering agency that Members rely on and guardian of taxpayer dollars,” Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) said. “This bill also does nothing to reaffirm Congress’ power of the purse in the wake of continued executive overreach. I hope that through the markup process, we can put together a bill that adequately responds to the needs of the legislative branch agencies that keep Congress, and democracy, afloat.” “With their bill to fund the Legislative Branch, House Republicans have once again chosen to allow President Trump to steal money promised to communities across the country,” Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is one of our most valuable tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness across the government. It is astonishing that, for all the talk about finding and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, that House Republicans would cut resources for the watchdog that is tasked with precisely that role. Their bill would eliminate over 1,000 GAO jobs and prevent it from fully protecting Congress’s power of the purse. Their bill also does nothing to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to work in the Legislative Branch despite bipartisan efforts to change this restrictive policy. Republicans need to reconsider their strategy and join Democrats to support the work the American people elected us to do.” A summary of House Republicans’ 2027 Legislative Branch funding bill is here. The full text of the bill is here. In keeping with longstanding practice whereby each chamber of Congress determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other concurs without intervention, the bill does not include funds for the Senate or Senate office buildings. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked from the House Committee on Appropriations website. ### Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fifth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 119th Congress. He is Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/. Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov