WATCH LIVE: Minnesota officials and federal immigration leaders testify before the Senate Homeland Committee
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s top immigration officials appeared before Congress on Tuesday for the first time since two U.S. citizens were shot to death in Minneapolis, seeking to defend their officers’ actions as their agencies face intense scrutiny over immigration enforcement operations nationwide.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee is holding a hearing Thursday for Minnesota state officials, as well as leaders of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection at 9 a.m. EST. Watch the live stream in our video player above.
Todd Lyons, the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was subjected to some of the toughest questioning during a more than 3-hour hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee. He appeared alongside Rodney Scott, who heads Customs and Border Protection, and Joseph Edlow, who leads US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Watch live: Border Czar Tom Homan holds a press conference in Minneapolis
The lawmakers asked them about the issues that have dominated public discourse since Trump launched his mass deportation agenda at the beginning of his second term. Here are some of their answers.
Defense officers after two Americans were killed in Minneapolis
Lyons and Scott have faced scrutiny over the killings of Renee Judd and Alex Pretty, but have repeatedly refused to answer questions, citing ongoing investigations.
Lyons was asked if he would apologize for the way some Trump administration officials described Goode as an instigator, which he declined to do.
He watches: Immigration officials defend officers and tactics as public backlash grows
“I welcome the opportunity to speak with the family privately,” Lyons said. “But I will not comment on any ongoing investigation.”
Lyons said he watched the video of Pretty being shot, but said he could not comment because of the ongoing investigation.
Masks worn by immigration officials
Democrats portrayed the masked officers as lawless and unaccountable. Republicans said masks are necessary to protect officers from defamation.
Asked if he would commit to requiring his officers to remove their masks and requiring them to wear “uniforms with recognizable insignia,” Lyons responded with one word: “No.”
Lyons has repeatedly said he supports officers who feel they need to wear masks to protect their identities and families.
Body cameras are deployed for officers
Thousands of federal immigration officers are already equipped with body cameras, and more will be coming in the future, Lyons and Scott said.
Body camera footage captured in Minneapolis will be released to the public, Lyons said.
“That’s the one thing I’m committed to is complete transparency. I absolutely welcome body cameras of all types in all of our law enforcement activities,” Lyons said.
Lyons denies using a 5-year-old child as bait
The case of Liam Conejo Ramos, who wore a bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack while surrounded by immigration officers, has sparked controversy over the administration’s crackdown in Minnesota.
The boy and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, originally from Ecuador, were arrested in a Minneapolis suburb on January 20.
Asked about the case, Lyons denied using the boy as bait to force a parent out of the home, as neighbors and school officials had alleged.
“He was obviously upset. We comforted him. The officers put him in one of our cars, played his favorite song and his favorite music. Then they took him to McDonald’s,” Lyons said.
Officials said the disruption of funding for the Department of Homeland Security would threaten the country’s security
The congressional hearing was held against the backdrop of an impending government shutdown that will only affect the Department of Homeland Security.
Democrats are threatening to defund the department when it expires unless there are more restrictions on ICE and other law enforcement agencies implementing Trump’s federal immigration agenda.
Republican Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi blamed Democrats for the potential shutdown and asked agency heads whether such a shutdown would make the country less safe. They all answered that it would be.
“It will have a huge impact,” Lyons said. He said the closure would particularly harm the ministry’s task forces on transnational crimes and terrorism.
Ice at the World Cup
Lyons was asked if he would agree to temporarily halt ICE operations during this year’s FIFA World Cup.
A Democratic lawmaker said visitors are concerned about Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics. But Lyons refused to commit to stopping.
“ICE is committed to ensuring that everyone who visits the facilities has a safe and secure event,” Lyons said.
Questions about guarding polling stations
With Trump calling on the federal government to “take over” the election, the committee’s ranking member, Democrat Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, asked officials to answer whether they are participating in any efforts to protect voting centers, with midterm elections scheduled for later this year.
“You weren’t asked to start deploying people to areas anywhere?” Thompson asked.
“No, sir,” Leon and Scott replied.
