Federal appeals court declined to halt an order requiring DHS to allow unannounced visits by Democrats. The unanimous three‑judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the visits pose minimal problems. The order also keeps scrutiny of contracts with private prison operators, a sector worth billions.

The ruling follows a battle after DHS instituted a notice rule for congressional inspections. Democrats sued, citing the immigration‑enforcement appropriations law that obliges the agency to grant access. Judge Neomi Rao, a Trump appointee, wrote that the government had not demonstrated substantial harm beyond inconvenience. The panel noted that oversight visits also serve the public interest by exposing conditions that could trigger liability for contractors.

Advocacy group Democracy Forward hailed the decision as a win for transparency amid reports of overcrowding, abuse and deaths in custody. While the administration argues its funding comes from a separate immigration‑detention appropriation, a Biden‑appointed judge has found access restrictions illegal. Litigation continues, but Congress retains right inspect facilities. Investors watch the outcome because curtailment of oversight could affect valuations of firms that manage detention sites.