A Democratic lawmaker asked acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Todd Lyons whether he believes he is “going to hell” following two shootings by ICE agents, during a contentious congressional hearing Tuesday.
"How do you think judgement day will go for you with so much blood on your hands?” New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver asked Lyons.
McIver — who was indicted on federal charges in May for allegedly interfering with immigration agents outside of a detention facility— was admonished by the committee’s chairman for her line of questioning.
Lyons was one of three Trump immigration officials who testified before the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown faces growing scrutiny from lawmakers and the broader public.
“How many ICE agents have been fired for their conduct in Minnesota?” Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, asked Lyons earlier in the morning. Swalwell was referencing the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis.
Lyons refused to provide a number, saying, “I’m not going to speak about personnel actions, but I’ll get you that data.”
Meanwhile, Republican committee chairman Rep. Andrew Garbarino spoke in support of federal immigration enforcement personnel.
“Enforcing immigration law is not optional,” he said. “Everyone should have the same goal of keeping America safe.”
According to a recent Quinnipiac survey, 63 percent of Americans disapprove of the way ICE is enforcing immigration laws, while 34 percent approve.
Key Points
- Ranking member says 'DHS must be held accountable' for Trump's 'out of control administration'
- Head of ICE condemns uptick in assaults and threats against agents
- VIDEO: Democrat asks ICE chief whether he thinks he's 'going to hell'
- Democrat says agencies have appointed themselves 'judge, jury and executioner'
- Hearing comes as most Americans are opposed to tactics used by ICE, polls show
Our coverage has ended
18:32 , Brendan RasciusThanks for following along. The Independent’s live coverage of the hearing has ended.
When and where will the hearing take place?
13:25 , Brendan RasciusToday’s hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. ET at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
It will feature testimony from the heads of three immigration agencies: Todd Lyons from ICE, Rodney Scott from CBP and Joseph Edlow from USCIS.
The oversight hearing will be conducted by the House Homeland Security Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, is the ranking member.
Committee member said he wants to hear about ICE cooperation with local officials
13:35 , Brendan RasciusRep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican on the committee, said he wants to hear about how federal officials are working with local and state counterparts.
“What happened in Minneapolis, nobody in this country should want,” he told CBS News on Sunday. “We should all strive not to be Minneapolis. We don't want to see local communities not work with federal government.”
“The problem is, you've got so many local municipalities that don't want to work together, and when that happens, your city burns,” Gonzales said. “We don't want Los Angeles, we shouldn't want Minneapolis. People can protest. People can be able to say, 'Hey, we won't agree with certain policy,' but there needs to be more collaboration at the local, state and federal level.”
Democrats on the committee have described ICE as ‘a secret police force’ that should be defunded
13:50 , Brendan RasciusDemocratic members of the House committee have described ICE as a “secret police force” that should be defunded.
“An ICE agent called Renée Good a ‘f****** b****’ after killing her,” the Homeland Democrats wrote on X on February 5. “Another clapped as Alex Pretti lay dying in the street.”
“Trump and Kristi Noem own this,” the Democrats added. “ICE is a secret police force, killing American citizens and we cannot continue to fund it.”
Similarly fiery rhetoric is expected from the committee’s Democratic members during today’s hearing.
Hearing comes as most Americans are opposed to tactics used by ICE, polls show
14:10 , Brendan RasciusThe hearing comes as the American public is broadly opposed to the strategies used by federal immigration enforcement agents, according to recent polls.
According to a February 4 Quinnipiac University survey, 63 percent of Americans disapprove of the way ICE is enforcing immigration laws, while 34 percent approve.
Similarly, a January Siena College poll found that 61 percent of Americans believe the tactics employed by ICE have gone too far.
DHS funding is on the line
14:25 , Brendan RasciusTuesday’s hearing comes at a pivotal time for Trump’s immigration enforcement operations, with DHS funding set to expire on Friday unless a continuing resolution is passed.
Last week, Democrats in Congress sent a letter to their Republican counterparts, outlining the reforms they seek in order to support a DHS funding measure.
Among the requests are that immigration enforcement agents wear body cameras and IDs — and that they be prohibited from wearing masks. While some measures have bipartisan support, the White House previously described some as unreasonable.
On Monday, GOP lawmakers put forward a counterproposal, which was quickly dismissed by Democrats.
‘Accountability starts now’: Democrats prepare for this morning’s immigration oversight hearing
14:45 , Brendan RasciusDemocrats on the House Homeland Security Committee are preparing for today’s hearing, which they say will allow for accountability.
“After public outrage and relentless pressure, ICE and CBP are finally forced to testify,” the committee’s Democrats said in a post on X this morning.
“Under the Trump administration, these agencies have racially profiled, assaulted, and killed American citizens,” they added. “Accountability starts now.”
HAPPENING AT 10AM: After public outrage and relentless pressure, ICE and CBP are finally forced to testify.⁰⁰Under the Trump administration, these agencies have racially profiled, assaulted, and killed American citizens.⁰⁰Accountability starts now. https://t.co/rq1ugSQsBK
— Homeland Dems (@HomelandDems) February 10, 2026
What to know about Todd Lyons, Joseph Edlow and Rodney Scott
14:52 , Brendan RasciusTodd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, oversees an agency with more than 27,400 people, an annual budget of nearly $10 billion and more than $74 billion in funding from Trump’s sprawling spending bill signed into law last year, The Independent previously reported.
Before he was tapped to lead ICE, he was a top official at the agency’s Enforcement and Removal Operations bureau. He has also shaped logistics for moving thousands of detainees through a sprawling detention center system — and has bluntly compared the movement of people to packages.
Joseph Edlow, who leads USCIS, has reshaped the agency from a predominantly administrative body into a decisive tool for law enforcement.
The agency has created its own law enforcement arm to investigate and arrest immigrants. These new agents are tasked with “making arrests, carrying firearms, executing search and arrest warrants, and other powers standard for federal law enforcement,” according to the agency.
Rodney Scott, the commissioner of CBP, oversees an agency with more than 67,000 employees and a budget of over $19 billion. He previously served as the chief of the U.S. Border Patrol from 2020 to 2021, when former President Joe Biden took office.
GOP chairman begins hearing with opening statement
15:12 , Brendan RasciusNew York Rep. Andrew Garbarino, the Republican chairing the committee, began the hearing with an opening statement.
“It is our imperative as representatives of the people to be a voice for the people,” he said. “Oversight is important…Informing Congress and the public is not casting accusations, nor is it a punishment.”
He described the recent shootings in Minnesota as “unacceptable,” while stating that "enforcing immigration law is not optional.”
“Everyone should have the same goal of keeping America safe,” he added.
Ranking member says 'DHS must be held accountable' for Trump's 'out of control administration'
15:19 , Brendan RasciusRanking member Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, said in his opening statement: “Our job is to conduct oversight, not cover for Donald Trump or his out of control administration.”
“This hearing is just the start of a reckoning of the Trump administration and its weaponization of DHS against American citizens,” Thompson said, adding that, “DHS must be held accountable.”
Ranking member displays photo of child detained by ICE
15:31 , Brendan RasciusRep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the committee, displayed a large photo of a five-year-old boy who was detained by federal immigration agents.
Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were detained in Minneapolis and taken to a detention facility in Texas earlier this month.
They were returned to Minneapolis after a federal judge ordered their release.
Head of CBP applauds Trump's 'decisive' leadership in helping secure the border
15:39 , Brendan RasciusRodney Scott, the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, applauded President Trump’s leadership during his opening statement.
“The past year has been one of the most consequential in the history of America’s border security,” he told the commitee. “Under the decisive leadership of President Donald J. Trump, Secretary Kristi Noem, and Border Czar Tom Homan, and thanks to the tireless efforts of the thousands of dedicated public servants who work at our agencies to ensure border security, CBP has fundamentally reversed years ofopen-border policies, achieving record-low illegal entries between ports of entry.”
“These results reflect a clear commitment to restoring the rule of law, prioritizing the safety of the Americanpeople, and empowering our officers and agents to fulfill their critical mission,” he added.
Head of ICE condemns uptick in assaults and threats against agents
15:45 , Brendan RasciusTodd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, condemned the uptick in assaults and threats against federal immigration agents during his opening statement.
“We are facing the deadliest operating environment in our agency’s history,” he told the committee, stating that assaults on officers have “skyrocketed.”
He said his message to those seeking to intimidate ICE agents is: “You will fail.”
WATCH: Rep. Bennie Thompson calls ICE hearing a 'reckoning for the Trump administration'
15:48 , Brendan RasciusAbout 3,000 ICE agents out of 13,000 have body cameras, ICE head says
15:55 , Brendan RasciusRep. Bennie Thompson asked Todd Lyons, the head of ICE, how many “ICE agents have cameras as of today?”
Lyons said that “approximately 3,000...out of approximately 13,000” agents currently have cameras.
Democrats have pushed for all ICE agents to be required to wear cameras as well as IDs.
ICE agents receive about 3 months of training, agency head says
15:58 , Brendan RasciusTodd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, said that new agents receive “approximately three months of training.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson expressed confusion about the three months figure, since previously agents had been said to receive 47 days of training.
ICE head says ‘We’ve seen a deescalation’ in Minnesota
16:04 , Brendan Rascius“We’ve seen a deescalation” in Minnesota, Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE, told the committee.
“The protests have subsided,” he said, adding that ICE has been allowed to conduct targeted enforcement operations in the state in recent days.
Democrat notes that ICE director previously compared agency operations to Amazon Prime
16:07 , Brendan RasciusRep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, noted that Todd Lyons previously compared ICE operations to those of e-commerce giant Amazon.
“How many times has Amazon Prime shot a mom three times in the face?” Swalwell asked in an apparent reference to the killing of Renee Good.
Democrat asks whether Alex Pretti and Renee Good 'deserved to die'
16:28 , Brendan RasciusRep. Shri Thanedar, a Michigan Democrat, asked the heads of immigration agencies whether the two people killed by agents in Minnesota deserved to die.
“Did Alex Pretti deserve to die?” Thanedar asked.
“I cannot comment on an ongoing investigation,” Scott said.
“Did Renee Good deserve to die?” the lawmaker continued, directing his question to Lyons.
“Sir, I can’t comment on ongoing investigations,” Lyons said.
Photos of Renee Good and Alex Pretti displayed at hearing
16:35 , Brendan RasciusPictures of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, were displayed behind committee ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson.
Democrat asks how Americans can determine whether or not someone is an ICE agent
16:52 , Brendan RasciusEric Swalwell, a California Democrat, who is running for governor, asked how Americans can determine whether or not someone is an ICE agent.
“If somebody rolls up in an unidentified van and gets out wearing all black, their faces covered, and they ask her to get in the van. How does she know if they're an ICE agent?” Swalwell asked Todd Lyons, the acting head of ICE.
“ICE agents have identifiable placards,” Lyons responded. “But you won't see ICE agents rolling through the parking lots and just snatching someone up.”
ICE head says 'nefarious' 20th century regimes required proof of citizenship
17:02 , Brendan RasciusRep. Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat, asked Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, which 20th century governments required individuals to provide proof of citizenship.
“Various nefarious regimes that did that,” Lyons said.
"Is Nazi Germany one?" Goldman asked.
"Yes," Lyons said, though he objected to the line of questioning. “To say that the men and women of ICE are the gestapo is wrong,” he added.
“If you don’t want to be called a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one,” Goldman responded.
Over the past year, federal officers have been accused of racially profiling people they see on the street, including U.S. citizens, and asking for their identification.
In September, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court gave federal agents permission to stop and detain a person based on their perceived ethnicity, spoken language or occupation. That decision, according to critics, has fueled racial profiling and arrests in Home Depot parking lots and worksites to target immigrant laborers, among others.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who authored the ruling, backtracked on that decision in the footnotes of a separate ruling in December, noting that officers “must not make interior immigration stops or arrests based on race or ethnicity.”
GOP lawmaker says Democrats allow illegal immigration in order to get elected
17:08 , Brendan RasciusA Republican committee member accused Democrats of allowing illegal immigration in order to help their reelection efforts.
“If the American people don’t understand what this whole thing is about, it's about one word and it always has been: power,” the GOP lawmaker said. “They want power and they need these illegals to vote in our elections.”
GOP lawmaker displays photos of criminal illegal immigrants who have been detained
17:14 , Brendan RasciusRep. Josh Brecheen, an Oklahoma Republican, displayed photos of detained illegal immigrants who have been charged with or accused of committing sex crimes against minors.
He applauded the Trump administration for securing the border in order to ensure such individuals do not come into the country.
“Moms and dads, don't you feel just a little bit safer?” Brecheen said. “I am grateful for this president who wants your children protected.”
Democrat says agencies have appointed themselves 'judge, jury and executioner'
17:21 , Brendan Rascius“This administration and the agencies shown before us have shown a complete and utter disregard for the law and the Constitution,” Rep. Tim Kennedy, a New York Democrat, said during the hearing on Tuesday.
He said that the Trump administration’s immigration agencies have “appointed [themselves] judge, jury and executioner, allowing American citizens to be gunned down in our streets with impunity.”
He then asked Lyons whether he would commit to ensuring ICE agents will wear “standard” uniforms. Lyons refused to commit to this.
ICE reposts footage of Tuesday's hearing
17:23 , Brendan RasciusICE reposted footage of Tuesday’s hearing on X, writing “The consequences of NOT enforcing federal immigration law? Terrorists, murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, gang members and more continue wreak havoc across America.”
The consequences of NOT enforcing federal immigration law?
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) February 10, 2026
Terrorists, murderers, rapists, child sex abusers, gang members and more continue wreak havoc across America.
ICE will continue to hold the line and enforce federal immigration laws enacted by Congress. pic.twitter.com/NWtSr2t4Ao
Republican criticizes Minneapolis mayor for his comments about ICE
17:29 , Brendan RasciusRep. August Pfluger, a Texas Republican, criticized Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey while speaking to reporters outside of the House Homeland Security Committee’s hearing on Tuesday.
“When the mayor of Minneapolis says F ICE, what do you think that makes the citizens feel? They are then ignited into this anger,” he said.
VIDEO: Democrat asks ICE chief whether he thinks he's 'going to hell'
17:57 , Brendan RasciusA Democratic lawmaker asked Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, whether he believes he is “going to hell.”
"How do you think judgement day will go for you with so much blood on your hands?” New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver asked Lyons.
McIver — who was indicted on federal charges in May for allegedly interfering with immigration agents outside of a detention facility — was admonished by the committee’s chairman for breaking decorum.
Democrat reads letters written by detained children
18:07 , Brendan RasciusRep. James Walkinshaw, a Virginia Democrat, read letters from several children who were detained by immigration officials and held inside the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas.
The letters were collected and published by ProPublica earlier this month. Among them is a letter from a seven-year-old boy, who wrote that he just wants to go back to school. A 12-year-old boy wrote that he watched families around him “no longer have hope.”
After reading some of the letters, Walkinshaw asked Lyons how long children should be detained for. Lyons replied: “We wouldn’t like to hold any children.”
