By Hannah Parry and Amanda Castro
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Immigration officials are testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday for the first time since two U.S. citizens were killed in the recent immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons clashed with Rep. Dan Goldman, D‑N.Y., during a heated House oversight hearing Tuesday, as Goldman accused the agency of operating like “secret police” and using “fascist” tactics. Lyons defended his officers, saying such comparisons endanger agents, while Goldman countered that the criticism reflects public observations of ICE’s conduct.
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What to Know
- Rep. Delia Ramirez, D‑Ill., also called for DHS to be dismantled, saying it cannot be reformed.
- Democrats are demanding new restrictions on ICE before agreeing to fund DHS, with a shutdown deadline approaching at week’s end.
- Goldman told Lyons that ICE’s tactics invite comparisons to secret police, not public exaggeration.
- Lyons argued that labeling ICE “Gestapo” or “fascist” puts agents at risk.
- Lyons, the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Rodney Scott, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Joseph Edlow, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, fielded questions about the administration's policies and agents' actions.
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Feb 10, 2026 at 04:15 PM EST
ICE Director denies protester database at hearing
Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons rejected claims that his agency maintains a database of protesters, telling lawmakers during a House oversight hearing Tuesday that “there is no database for protesters.”
Lyons was pressed by Rep. Lou Correa, D‑Calif., after former border czar Tom Homan suggested in a recent Fox News interview that ICE planned to track demonstrators arrested for interference or assault. Homan had said, “We’re going to create a database … we’re going to make them famous.”
Feb 10, 2026 at 04:02 PM EST
Magaziner presses CBP chief on use of force
Rep. Seth Magaziner, D‑R.I., challenged Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott during a House hearing Tuesday over agents’ use of pepper spray against civilians. Magaziner played clips showing a driver and child struck by irritant spray and another person sprayed at close range while pinned down.
Scott acknowledged that spraying into a moving vehicle would not be proper procedure but questioned whether the spray was intentionally directed inside. He declined to assess the second video, saying the clip was too limited. “The intended use is to try to avoid escalating; it’s to de‑escalate a situation,” Scott said.
Magaziner accused CBP of lacking accountability under the Trump administration. “Your agency has repeatedly been caught on tape using unnecessary violence against civilians,” he said, adding that such actions erode public trust in immigration enforcement.
Feb 10, 2026 at 03:49 PM EST
Bill seeks to block ICE detention center in Maryland
Rep. April McClain Delaney has introduced legislation aimed at stopping Immigration and Customs Enforcement from opening a detention facility in Washington County, Maryland. The Keep ICE Out of Washington County Act would bar federal funds from being used for the project and give residents and officials the right to challenge the development in court.
ICE confirmed last week it purchased a warehouse in Williamsport to house about 1,500 detainees. Local commissioners passed a resolution supporting the facility, but state leaders have raised concerns about health, safety, and infrastructure strains. Delaney and other lawmakers argue detention centers are “inhumane” and undermine community priorities.
Feb 10, 2026 at 03:36 PM EST
Shutdown threat looms over DHS negotiations
With Homeland Security funding set to expire Saturday, Democrats and Republicans remain far apart on immigration enforcement reforms.
Democrats demand stricter use‑of‑force policies, judicial warrants, and an end to racial profiling. Republicans have resisted those changes, raising the possibility of a partial shutdown that would affect FEMA, TSA, and border agencies.
Feb 10, 2026 at 03:23 PM EST
Democrats reject White House offer on ice oversight
Top Democrats say the latest proposal from the White House is “incomplete and insufficient,” rejecting a Republican counteroffer that lacked legislative text or details.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries insist new restrictions on ICE are needed before they will approve Homeland Security funding.
Feb 10, 2026 at 03:10 PM EST
Palantir CEO addresses ice work after employee pressure
Palantir CEO Alex Karp has responded to weeks of internal unrest over the company’s contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), releasing a pre‑recorded video discussion with privacy director Courtney Bowman. The hourlong conversation, shared with employees Friday, came after staff demanded clarity on Palantir’s role in federal immigration enforcement following the fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti by ICE agents last month.
In the video, Karp avoided specifics about product capabilities or ICE’s use of Palantir software, instead framing the company’s mission around supporting Western institutions. He said Palantir’s policies would not shift depending on political leadership, citing former President Barack Obama’s remarks that the U.S. is both a “nation of immigrants” and a “nation of laws.”
Karp offered employees the option to sign non‑disclosure agreements for one‑on‑one briefings but did not provide direct answers to questions raised in internal Slack channels. Bowman described the video as “a step forward, not a completion” of leadership’s engagement with staff.
The release follows internal wiki updates acknowledging Palantir’s pilot projects with ICE and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including efforts to track self‑deportations and identify fraudulent benefit submissions.
Feb 10, 2026 at 02:56 PM EST
Immigration hearing has ended
The House Homeland Security Committee hearing on immigration ended with a statement from Democrat Rep. Al Green, who called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be held accountable for accusing Alex Pretti of brandishing a weapon before he was shot by federal agents, before an investigation was underway.
Feb 10, 2026 at 02:37 PM EST
ICE boss says rhetoric against his agency is unprecedented
Republican Rep. Sheri Biggs criticized what she called "radical leftists" for referring to ICE agents as the gestapo, warning that such rhetoric "has consequences," including a huge rise in threats of assault towards immigration officers between 2024 and 25.
ICE chief Todd Lyons agreed, adding there was "so much rhetoric out there" against ICE and its work, which he had never seen under any other administration.
However, Rep. Troy Carter, a Democrat from Louisiana, suggested the reason that there had been such a strong backlash to ICE operations under Donald Trump, was because of this administration's aggressive tactics. He said that previous administrations had been more focused on de-escalation.
Feb 10, 2026 at 02:20 PM EST
ICE chief says agency will be key to ‘overall security’ at World Cup
Democrat Rep. Nellie Pou, from New Jersey, asked Todd Lyons during the hearing about the presence of ICE at the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the U.S.
When asked if he would commit to pausing ICE operations and raids at FIFA events, Lyons replied that ICE and Homeland Security are a key part of the "overall security apparatus" of the World Cup.
Lyons added that the agency would ensure that anyone attending World Cup events will be "safe and secure".
Feb 10, 2026 at 02:00 PM EST
Graffiti of Donald Trump as ICE agent pops up in Milan during Olympics
A mural depicting President Donald Trump dressed in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uniform and holding the Olympic rings was displayed near a homeless shelter in Italy during the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The mural, located near an ATM shelter at Bastioni di Porta Volta in Milan, depicts Trump in an ICE-style outfit.
Palombo explained the concept behind the mural in a statement with Newsweek.
Read in full: Graffiti of Donald Trump as ICE Agent Pops Up in Milan During Olympics
A mural depicting President Donald Trump dressed in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uniform and holding the Olympic rings was displayed n...Read More | ICE Donald Trump mural by artist aleXsandro Palombo
Feb 10, 2026 at 01:37 PM EST
Lyons insists five-year-old was not used as ‘bait’
ICE chief Todd Lyons was asked if ICE agents had used five-year-old Liam Ramos as "bait" during the hearing.
The father and son were apprehended last month by federal agents during President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement surge in the Minneapolis area.
The incident drew widespread attention and controversy, in large part because of Liam's age and the photos and accounts of the scene released by the local school district. Superintendent Zena Stenvik told reporters that federal agents took the child from a running car in the family’s driveway and told him to knock on the door to his home to see if other people were inside, “essentially using a 5-year-old as bait.”
When asked, by Republican Congressman Brad Knott, if the bait claim was true, Lyons insisted it was not and that ICE agents had taken care of the child and taken him to McDonalds after he was detained.
Liam Ramos was detained with his father at a detention center in Texas for nearly two weeks before being released on 1 February.
Feb 10, 2026 at 01:19 PM EST
OPINION: Trump’s police violence presidency
As President Donald Trump reflects on the past year in his State of the Union address later this month, his administration’s violent law enforcement tactics are on the minds of many Americans. In January, federal officers killed two United States citizens on Minneapolis streets in broad daylight. Agents have shoved bystanders, pepper-sprayed observers and protesters, swarmed around cars, broken glass and detained citizens and legal immigrants going about daily activities. President Trump doesn’t just condone this brutality; he has made police violence a signature aspect of his legacy.
State and local officials seem to be on the front lines of the resistance. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and police chief Brian O’Hara have staked out positions as reform-minded local leaders. Other states, like California and Illinois, have challenged the administration in high-profile lawsuits. State legislatures are pushing to restrict federal civil rights abuses, and Democratic U.S. senators have introduced legislation that would redirect ICE funding to local police departments to hire 200,000 more police officers.
Read in full from Helen Vera: Trump’s Police Violence Presidency | Opinion
Feb 10, 2026 at 01:02 PM EST
WATCH: Kristi Noem slams the left for criticizing ICE
Feb 10, 2026 at 01:00 PM EST
Explosive moment at hearing as NJ Democrat asks Lyons how he’ll feel on Judgement Day
In the most explosive moment in the New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver asked ICE chief Todd Lyons if he was a religious man, which he answered he was.
"How do you think Judgement Day will work for you with so much blood on your hands?" McIver then asked.
"I'm not going to entertain that question," Lyons said.
McIver, a Democrat, then pressed the ICE boss harder asking, "Do you think you're going to hell, Mr Lyons?"
Lyons refused to answer and McIver was then cut off by the committee chairman.
The White House has since responded on X, saying the Democrat "steps completely out of line" with the question.
Feb 10, 2026 at 12:45 PM EST
Lyons refuses to say whether Noem should be fired
Todd Lyons was asked during the hearing whether he believed Department of Homeland Security Secretary should resign in the wake of the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
"I'm not going to comment on that," he told Rep. Tim Kennedy.
"So you're going to look the families of Rene Nicole Goode and Alex Peretti in the eye and tell them Secretary Noem should keep her job after their loved ones were killed?" Kennedy asked.
"Sir, the loss of any life is unacceptable," Lyons responded. "Prayers and thoughts go out to anyone who's tragically losing his life... but I'm not going to comment on ongoing investigation."
Kennedy responded that the American people were watching Lyon's response and his "unwillingness to demand accountability from your own leadership speaks volumes to Americans."
Feb 10, 2026 at 12:36 PM EST
Lawmaker slams Lyons’ ‘sad’ and ‘unacceptable’ response over whether ICE agents should wear masks
Rep. Tim Kennedy, a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, who has been actively opposing the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, asked Todd Lyons if he'd commit to "to immediately unmasking every agent, conducting immigration enforcement and requiring them to wear standard uniforms with identifiable badges."
"No," was Lyons' singular answer.
"Well, it's a sad response. Your answer is completely unacceptable," Kennedy replied. "People who are proud of what they do aren't hiding."
"We're a nation of laws. And you, your boss, Secretary Noem and Donald Trump are not above the law," he added.
"In America, we shouldn't have secret police. We shouldn't have mass government agents executing citizens in the streets. The Constitution does not give your agency the right to hide their faces while they kill Americans."
Feb 10, 2026 at 12:20 PM EST
Head of border patrol acknowledges agents pepper spraying into car with a child is not proper procedure
Border patrol commissioner Rodney Scott has acknowledged that federal agents deploying pepper spray into the car of a American citizen, whose small child was in the back seat, did not follow proper procedure.
Scott was speaking after the hearing was show a video from CBS News which capture the moment. The hearing was then shown a second clip which showed an agent pepper spraying the face of an apparent protesters who was pinned to the ground.
The border patrol commissioner declined to comment on the second incident.
Feb 10, 2026 at 12:11 PM EST
Rep. Ramirez says DHS must be entirely ‘dismantled’
Rep. Delia Ramirez said it was too late for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be "reformed."
"It must be dismantled and something new takes its place," she said at Tuesday's hearing. She warned if it wasn't, that "it will continue to be a weapon that can be pointed at anyone the government considers the public enemy.
"And let me tell you, fascism always requires a public enemy."
Feb 10, 2026 at 12:09 PM EST
Democrat demands Kristi Noem is ‘held accountable’ for ‘lawless’ ICE operation
Rep. Bennie Thompson told Tuesday's House hearing that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem must be "held accountable" for the "lawless" immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
Thompson said that Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother-of-three fatally shot by a federal immigration agent at a protest, "did not deserve to die at the hands of her own government."
He accused the Trump administration of blocking an investigation into the shooting, and of trying to "gaslight" Americans into believing the shooting was justified by painting her as a "domestic terrorist."
Feb 10, 2026 at 12:05 PM EST
Who is Alex Pretti? U.S. citizen killed by federal immigration agents
Alex Pretti was a 37-year-old American intensive care nurse whose death at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis has become a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement tactics, civil liberties, and law enforcement accountability.
Pretti, a licensed registered nurse at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis, was described by family, friends, colleagues, and former teachers as a compassionate caregiver who dedicated his life to serving others — particularly U.S. military veterans.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents said Pretti was shot on January 24 after allegedly approaching officers with a handgun and resisting orders during their operation. The Department of Homeland Security publicly characterized him as a threat to law enforcement.
Video taken at the scene appears to dispute the officials account, showing Pretti was unarmed at the moment he was shot, holding only his mobile phone and attempting to assist a woman who had been knocked to the ground by an agent. His parents issued a statement condemning what they called “sickening lies” about his actions, insisting that he acted out of concern for others rather than aggression.
In the aftermath of his death, Pretti’s family has taken legal steps by retaining experienced civil rights counsel — including a former federal prosecutor involved in the prosecution of George Floyd’s killer — and has called for greater transparency and accountability around the circumstances of the shooting.
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