The heads of US immigration agencies faced sharp criticism in Congress on Tuesday as they defended President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign and responded to questions over the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis.
In the aftermath of the Minneapolis killings, President Trump acknowledged that a “softer touch” on immigration enforcement may be necessary, prompting his administration to announce concessions, including the withdrawal of hundreds of federal officers from the Midwestern city.
However, the dispute remains unresolved, with Democrats demanding changes to how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducts immigration operations and threatening to block its funding, while the Trump administration has pledged to press ahead with deportations, backed by Republican lawmakers.
“The president tasked us with mass deportation, and we are fulfilling that mandate,” said Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in his opening remarks at the congressional hearing on DHS oversight.
Lyons testified alongside Rodney Scott, head of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Joseph Edlow, director of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Scott praised enforcement efforts along the southern border, saying CBP had “spent the last year rebuilding what was an intentionally broken border” and claiming that “the United States now enjoys the most secure border in our nation’s history”.
Administration officials faced sustained questioning from Democratic lawmakers over sweeping immigration raids carried out in several US cities—operations that Republican representatives largely defended.
“This administration and the agencies represented before us have shown a complete and utter disregard for the law and the Constitution,” Democratic Representative Tim Kennedy said.
Incomplete and insufficient
Republican Representative Eli Crane rejected criticism of immigration enforcement, accusing Democrats of attempting to “demonise ICE and Homeland Security” and blaming them for allowing “illegal aliens” into the country.
In Minneapolis, thousands of federal agents have carried out raids in recent weeks, which the administration says are targeted operations against criminals. The enforcement drive has resulted in the detention of wide categories of immigrants and, in some cases, US citizens.
The operations have triggered mass protests, while the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti less than three weeks apart last month sparked widespread outrage.
When Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell asked Lyons on Tuesday whether he would apologise to the families of Good and Pretti over the administration’s initial description of them as “domestic terrorists”, Lyons declined, citing ongoing investigations.
Democrats have called for sweeping reforms to ICE practices, including an end to mobile patrols, a ban on agents concealing their identities, and mandatory warrants for enforcement actions.
Democratic leaders in Congress are also threatening to block DHS funding for 2026. While the White House has signalled a willingness to negotiate, opposition lawmakers say its response has fallen short.
“Republicans shared an outline of a counterproposal which included neither details nor legislative text,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement.
They described the response as “incomplete and insufficient” in addressing public concerns over what they characterised as ICE’s “lawless conduct” and said they were awaiting further clarification.
If negotiations collapse, DHS could face a funding gap beginning on Saturday. While CBP and ICE could continue operating under funds approved last year, other agencies—including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)—could be affected.
