Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials described a 2018 visit to a migrant detention facility by Sen. Jeff Merkley Jeffrey (Jeff) Alan MerkleyThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Sunday shows - Trump team defends coronavirus response Oregon senator says Trump's blame on 'forest management' for wildfires is 'just a big and devastating lie' MORE (D-Ore.) as a "Hill Stunt" in emails provided to The Hill.

The emails, obtained by watchdog group American Oversight, show discussions between multiple senior DHS officials, including then-Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Kirstjen Michele NielsenMore than million in DHS contracts awarded to firm of acting secretary's wife: report DHS IG won't investigate after watchdog said Wolf, Cuccinelli appointments violated law Appeals court sides with Trump over drawdown of immigrant protections MORE, about the visit from the Oregon lawmaker under the subject line "Hill stunts."

In one email, then-Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at DHS Jonathan Hoffman wrote that Merkley is "trying to do 'visits' to family detention facilities."

ADVERTISEMENT

In a subsequent email Hoffman said the visit "is being tweeted out by moveon.org as some sort of stunt" along with a tweet from the progressive advocacy group MoveOn with a link to a livestream of Merkley's trip to the facility.

“Congressional oversight of DHS’s child detention program is not a ‘Hill stunt.’ This is yet another disturbing example of how the Trump administration has decided that it is above the law and beyond scrutiny," Austin Evers, executive director of American Oversight, told The Hill in a statement.

Merkely told The Hill in a statement that the emails are an example of the administration dismissing the role of congressional oversight.

“It’s deeply disturbing, but sadly not surprising, that this administration wouldn’t see congressional oversight on the treatment of children as an important and essential part of our job,” Merkely said.

“After I went down to the border in June 2018, Americans were outraged by what I discovered: a government policy of separating children from their families, holding them in cages, and moving them to a secretive detention facility that held nearly 1500 boys. President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE and his administration may view children as pawns in their political games, but the American people share my view: that these children are vulnerable human beings who should be treated with decency and respect by our nation.”

The Hill has reached out for comment to DHS and to Hoffman, who now serves as the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs at the Department of Defense.

Merkley's visit to detention facilities came at the height of the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy which resulted in families being separated at the border.

The Oregon lawmaker was initially barred from entering a facility in Brownsville, Texas, before ultimately being allowed a tour.

DHS and Department of Health and Human Services at the time said that Merkley was denied entry for safety and security reasons.

Pressure from Merkley, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and activists ultimately resulted in President Trump ending the zero tolerance policy, although some family separations at the border continue.

DHS Hill Stunt emails by Regina Zilbermints on Scribd

—Updated at 4:40 p.m.