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Immigration Officials Face Scrutiny Amid Funding Deadline and Calls for Reform
Washington D.C. – As a crucial Friday funding deadline looms for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), top officials from three key immigration agencies are set to appear before the House Committee on Homeland Security. The hearings come amidst heightened calls for oversight of DHS and an ongoing debate among lawmakers regarding potential reforms to the department.
Acting Director Todd Lyons of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Commissioner Rodney Scott of Customs and Border Protection, and Director Joseph Edlow of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are scheduled to testify before the House panel on Tuesday, with a follow-up appearance before the Senate on Thursday.
The hearings were prompted by requests from Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers. Garbarino emphasized the need for “transparency and communication to turn the temperature down” in a statement announcing the hearing.
Republicans face a delicate balancing act during these proceedings. While the congressional GOP generally supports President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies, some have voiced concerns in the wake of two fatal shootings in Minneapolis. Public scrutiny of the administration’s immigration tactics has also intensified, with recent polls indicating that a majority of Americans believe federal agents have “gone too far” in enforcing immigration laws.
DHS Funding Deadline Approaches
The hearings are part of a broader focus on immigration this week, as lawmakers consider potential changes to enforcement operations. Democrats have conditioned their support for DHS funding on the implementation of these reforms.
On Monday, Republicans presented Democrats with an offer for a path forward, though details of the proposal were not publicly released. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) quickly dismissed the offer, stating it was “incomplete and insufficient in terms of addressing the concerns Americans have about ICE’s lawless conduct.” They expressed anticipation for further details and legislative text.
Last week, Jeffries and Schumer outlined their own proposals in a letter to their GOP counterparts. Some of these, such as requiring officers to wear body cameras, have garnered bipartisan support.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has already stated the department is deploying body cameras to field officers in Minneapolis and plans to expand the program nationwide as funding permits. Democrats aim to codify this into law.
Other proposals face greater opposition, including calls for officers to display identifying information, such as their last name, on uniforms and a prohibition on wearing face coverings. Republicans argue that banning face masks could make federal agents vulnerable to doxing.
Jeffries, however, contends that banning masks would align immigration enforcement officers with other civil law enforcement agencies. “Police officers don’t wear masks.
County sheriffs don’t wear masks, and state troopers don’t wear masks,” Jeffries stated on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Democrats are also advocating for a prohibition on immigration enforcement near medical and child care facilities, schools, and churches. They seek expanded agent training, the removal of officers from the field during investigations into incidents, and a requirement for agents to verify a person’s non-U.S. citizenship before immigration detention.
Additionally, Democrats are calling for a mandate requiring immigration officers to use only judge-signed warrants for arrests, arguing that the current use of administrative warrants written by DHS could violate Fourth Amendment protections.
Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) criticized the Democrats’ proposals as “a ridiculous Christmas list of demands” and accused them of “not negotiating in good faith.”
Should lawmakers fail to reach a deal this week, a short-term stopgap funding bill for DHS would be necessary. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) expressed hope for a temporary funding bill on Tuesday, but also remained optimistic about finding common ground with congressional Democrats and the White House.
Unlike previous shutdowns, only DHS is at risk of a funding lapse, which could impact agencies like the Transportation Security Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency, potentially affecting air travel and disaster response. ICE, however, would likely continue operations even during a shutdown, due to over $70 billion in separate funds Congress allocated for border and immigration enforcement over the summer.
Both the Senate and House are scheduled for recess next week for Presidents Day. If the DHS funding issue remains unresolved, the Senate may need to remain in Washington to address any lapse.