Trump's Immigration Officials Under Fire Amid House Hearing on Fatal Shootings
During a tense House hearing on Tuesday, top officials from the Trump administration faced intense scrutiny regarding their immigration enforcement strategies. The session featured Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Rodney Scott, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Democratic representatives pressed the officials for answers concerning the recent fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration agents in Minneapolis. However, the officials refrained from commenting, citing an ongoing investigation into the incidents.
“The slaying of Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti by DHS are the most tragic examples of what is wrong with Trump’s DHS,” stated Ranking Member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., during his opening remarks.
Lyons stood firm, refusing to express remorse over the deaths, insisting he would not discuss any active investigations. He defended the administration’s immigration policies, asserting that "in the wake of the unprecedented border crisis of the previous administration, ICE has stepped into the breach to enforce the law."
“We sent a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us, you will fail,” he added, emphasizing the agency's commitment to its mission.
Lyons highlighted that ICE made 379,000 arrests in the first year of the Trump administration and removed over 475,000 individuals from the U.S., declaring, “We are only getting started.”
Republican lawmakers shifted focus to the rising threats against federal law enforcement while also calling for a thorough investigation into the Minnesota shootings. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino, R-N.Y., remarked on the critical juncture facing immigration enforcement.
“We sit here today at an inflection point, an opportunity to assess and reinforce the integrity of immigration enforcement,” Garbarino said, advocating for a “complete and impartial” investigation into the killings.
He expressed concern over state and local jurisdictions failing to protect federal officers, linking this failure to the tragic deaths of two American citizens in Minnesota. “This is all unacceptable and preventable,” he asserted.
Garbarino noted a significant uptick in attacks on federal law enforcement personnel and threats against their families. Democrats pressed Lyons for information regarding any ICE agents dismissed for misconduct during operations, but he did not provide an answer. They referenced reports of U.S. citizen arrests and excessive use of force incidents.
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott acknowledged ongoing investigations within his agency but withheld specific details. Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., presented videos showing chemical irritants used against a driver and his child, as well as pepper spray deployed at close range on an individual restrained by officers.
When Magaziner questioned Scott about the appropriateness of using pepper spray in a moving vehicle, Scott admitted it was not proper procedure but declined to comment on the second incident due to limited video context.
“Your agency has repeatedly been caught on tape using unnecessary violence against civilians,” Magaziner challenged, “and you can’t even tell me if any of these agents have been investigated or disciplined.”
Democrats have pledged to oppose funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless significant changes are made to its immigration enforcement policies. With a potential government shutdown looming this weekend due to funding issues, Republican legislators cautioned against such an outcome.
“Let me be clear, shutting down DHS makes America less safe,” Garbarino warned during the hearing.
This hearing marked a significant moment as it was the first time these high-ranking immigration officials appeared together before Congress since their agency received substantial federal funding last summer aimed at enhancing enforcement operations nationwide.
