ICE chief defends officers’ actions after deaths of two protesters

The acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the US defended his agency’s officers before Congress on Tuesday, standing behind their tactics and saying they would not be intimidated as they carried out the president’s mass deportation plans.

Todd Lyons was one of the three heads of agencies implementing President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda to testify in a hearing called after the shooting deaths of two Americans at the hands of federal officers.

They faced fierce questioning from Democrats, and support from most Republicans, over how they were prosecuting immigration enforcement inside American cities.

“Let me send a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us. You will fail,” said Mr Lyons, who blamed elected officials and protesters for escalating rhetoric that he claimed endangered his officers.

Mr Lyons, who at various points declined to comment directly on the killings of the two US citizens, said his officers would not be deterred.

“We are only getting started,” he said in opening remarks.

Mr Trump’s immigration campaign has been heavily scrutinised in recent weeks, especially after the shooting deaths in Minneapolis.

The agencies have also faced criticism for a wave of policies that detractors say trample on the rights of both immigrants facing arrest and Americans protesting against the enforcement actions.

Tuesday’s testimony is unlikely to quell simmering tensions over the centrepiece policy of Mr Trump’s second term.

Mr Lyons, the acting ICE director, Rodney Scott, who heads US Customs and Border Protection, and Joseph Edlow, who is the director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, spoke in front of the House Committee on Homeland Security in a hearing that lasted roughly three-and-a-half hours.

It is the first time all three have appeared in Congress since the department received a huge infusion of money from Congress last summer and since immigration enforcement operations intensified across the country.

Under Mr Lyons’ leadership, ICE has undergone a massive hiring boom and immigration officers have deployed in beefed-up enforcement operations designed to increase arrests and deportations.

The officials spoke at a time of falling public support for how their agencies are carrying out Mr Trump’s immigration vision. Their testimony comes as Democratic politicians in Congress are demanding restraints on immigration officers before agreeing to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

The agency heads warned the country would be less safe if federal funds expired at the end of the week.

Tuesday’s hearing was called after federal officers shot and killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good, which sparked outrage across the country and demands for accountability and reform.

Mr Lyons and Mr Scott said standard operating procedures were being followed in investigations into the January shootings.

Since Mr Trump returned to the White House, Customs and Border Protection has taken on a significant role in arresting and removing illegal immigrants from inside the country.

This increased activity has become a flashpoint for controversy and marks a break from the agency’s traditional job of protecting borders and controlling who and what enters the country.

Meanwhile, Minnesota governor Tim Walz said on Tuesday that he expected the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota would end in “days, not weeks and months”, based on his recent conversations with top Trump administration officials.

The Democratic governor said at a news conference that he spoke on Monday with border tzar Tom Homan and with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Tuesday morning.

Mr Homan took over the Minnesota operation in late January after the second fatal shooting by federal officers and amid growing political backlash and questions about how the operation was being run.

“We’re very much in a trust-but-verify mode,” Mr Walz said.

He added that he expected to hear more from the administration “in the next day or so” about the future of what he said has been an “occupation” and a “retribution campaign” against the state.

While Mr Walz said he was hopeful at the moment because “every indication I have is that this thing is winding up”, he added that things could change.

“It would be my hope that Mr Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they’re bringing her down and they’re bringing her down in days,” Mr Walz said.

“That would be my expectation.”

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the governor’s remarks.