the full hearing: ICE operations in Minnesota, mayors, AG, witnesses testify

[6:03] Before I move to opening statements, I want to share some recognitions and go over a few [6:08] housekeeping items. [6:11] My name is Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, I'm the top Democrat on the Immigration Subcommittee [6:16] and very glad to be chairing this hearing along with and in partnership with our incredible [6:23] colleague, your representative in Minneapolis, Representative Ilhan Omar. [6:30] I want to thank Congresswoman Omar for her tremendous leadership in Congress, for her [6:35] partnership in holding this hearing, and for her staff's help in making sure that we had [6:41] a set of voices testifying today that would really demonstrate the gravity of the situation [6:46] here in Minneapolis, St. Paul. [6:49] I also want to thank Congresswoman Betty McCollum, in whose district we sit, for her leadership [6:55] and for hosting us here in St. Paul. [6:59] I also want to thank the entire Minnesota delegation, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina [7:04] Smith and Representatives Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison for their work and their welcome [7:10] to Minnesota in this very difficult time. [7:14] And a huge thank you to Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy for her leadership and for hosting [7:19] us here in the Minnesota State Senate. [7:22] To Minnesotans, thank you for your courage, for your bravery, for your resilience, for your [7:31] compassion for each other. [7:34] I hope you see the fact that 28 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have traveled [7:40] from all over the country to be with you today. [7:51] I hope you see that as a recognition that you are not in this alone. [7:58] We've got your back and we will do what we need to do in Congress to advocate fiercely for [8:03] you. [8:05] Kelly, before we move to opening statements, I ask for a moment of silence to honor Renee [8:12] Nicole Macklin Goode, a U.S. citizen, mother of three, wife, daughter, friend to many, who [8:21] was killed by ICE agents just nine days ago. [8:25] Renee Goode died because she cared about her neighbors. [8:29] In the words of her wife, Becca Goode, Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions [8:34] teach the same essential truth. [8:37] We are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole. [8:57] A few more housekeeping items before we begin. [9:00] While today's event is not a formal hearing, I will operate it as if it were, with opening [9:04] statements from our witnesses and four minutes of questions from our members. [9:09] Members, there is a timer here in the center of the screen. [9:13] I hope you can see it. [9:14] We will try to make sure you can. [9:17] I have also been asked to make you aware of the expectations for decorum in this committee [9:22] room. [9:23] We ask that everyone here today be seated when they are in the hearing room. [9:27] We ask that you refrain from standing or sitting in the walkways or aisles. [9:32] If you need further accommodation, please communicate with staff. [9:35] Please leave all signs outside under this building's rules. [9:39] Signs are not permitted in the hearing room or at the witness table. [9:43] Slapping and other disruptions are not allowed. [9:45] Thank you to the Minnesota Senate Sergeant at Arms Office, U.S. Capitol Police, and the [9:49] Minnesota State Patrol Capitol security personnel who are present to help us maintain this decorum [9:55] in the hearing room. [9:57] I now recognize myself for four minutes for an opening statement. [10:02] As the ranking member of the Immigration Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, I have been [10:06] holding a series of accountability hearings titled Kidnapped and Disappeared on how the Trump [10:12] administration has targeted and terrorized people of all immigration statuses, including [10:18] U.S. citizens, violating constitutional rights and court orders, destroying our existing immigration [10:25] system, and eroding all of our rights. [10:28] Today is the sixth hearing in that series as we continue our congressional duties on this [10:34] fact-finding mission at a time of intense trauma and terror for Minnesotans who are being [10:40] subjected to the lawlessness and violence of ICE and Border Patrol agents. [10:47] The Minnesota Star Tribune editorial board described it this way, quote, battalions of armed federal [10:54] agents are moving through neighborhoods, transit hubs, malls, and parking lots, and staging near [11:01] churches, mosques, and schools. [11:04] Strangers with guns have metastasized in spaces where daily life should be routine and safe. [11:11] It feels like a military occupation. [11:14] The occupation of Minnesota by ICE cannot stand. [11:19] What we are witnessing is the storming of the state by the federal government, end quote. [11:25] Since December, Donald Trump has surged federal agents to the Twin Cities under the guise [11:30] of immigration enforcement. [11:32] Thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents have put the safety of residents in jeopardy with [11:38] escalating arrests and violations of fundamental constitutional rights that protect individuals [11:43] from unreasonable seizures and searches without a warrant and protect due process for everyone, [11:51] citizen and non-citizen, without distinction. [11:54] We are seeing horrifying videos of ICE agents battering down people's doors without a warrant, [12:01] racially profiling people on the street, busting in car windows, and trying to intimidate and [12:06] suppress the First Amendment rights to peacefully protest. [12:11] And most visible and clear to the entire nation, the killing of Renee Goode, the outright lies [12:20] from Kristi Noem, Donald Trump, and J.D. Vance about what we saw with our own eyes and the [12:26] subsequent attempt to assassinate the character of Renee Goode and her widow, all while blocking [12:33] any fair, independent investigation of the ICE officer who shot her. [12:41] Instead of making us safer, Trump is deliberately escalating tensions in a city where crime rates [12:47] have been declining, and the tactics are only accelerating. [12:52] Renee Goode's killing was the ninth reported ICE shooting since September. [12:57] Meanwhile, in the single year since Donald Trump entered office, 35 people have been reported [13:04] by ICE to have died in ICE detention facilities. [13:07] That is the highest number in two decades. [13:11] Let me be clear. [13:13] This pattern of reckless, even lethal use of force cannot continue. [13:19] And we will do everything in our power to hold the administration accountable and stop [13:25] this lawlessness. [13:27] Let me also be clear about something else. [13:30] What is happening in Minnesota is a pattern that is dangerous to every single person in [13:36] America. [13:38] Because if they can erode the rights of some, they can do it to you. [13:44] No one is safe. [13:46] As one of only two dozen naturalized citizens to serve in Congress today, someone who spent [13:50] 17 years in the process to get my U.S. citizenship, this is very personal to me. [13:56] Never in a million years would I have thought that I would see what I see on the streets of the [14:00] United States of America. [14:03] We cannot have a second tier of citizenship. [14:05] We cannot undermine the contributions of immigrants from all over the world. [14:09] And we must protect our democracy and our constitution for all residents and our future generations. [14:17] I'm grateful to our witnesses for being here today. [14:19] And I now recognize Representative Ilhan Omar for four minutes for an opening statement. [14:26] Thank you all for being here today. [14:28] I want to thank Congresswoman Pramila Chayipal for co-hosting this field hearing to raise [14:33] the alarm about Donald Trump's unlawful, aggressive, and authoritarian actions in the Twin Cities. [14:40] I also want to thank my colleagues who came from across the country and testifiers for joining [14:46] us here in Minnesota. [14:48] What we are witnessing right now is unprecedented. [14:52] There is no modern president for this level of federal overreach, violence, lawlessness carried [14:58] out in the name of immigration enforcement. [15:01] This is not routine enforcement. [15:03] This is not about public safety. [15:05] This is not even about immigration. [15:08] This is about political retribution. [15:10] The president said it himself this week. [15:14] It is increasingly clear that the entire purpose of these actions is to provoke chaos and fear in [15:21] order to justify invoking the insurrection act and expand the president's ability to [15:28] reign terror upon American cities who do not vote for him. [15:33] That is the context in which Renee Nicole Good occurred. [15:37] This administration has unleashed primarily paramilitary force into our neighborhoods, terrorizing [15:46] families, escalating enforcement, and now killing a U.S. citizen in our state. [15:52] And this is just the tip of the iceberg. [15:55] Our office has received numerous reports of deeply questionable arrests, individuals detained [16:02] without explanation, without warrants, without access to counsel, and in many cases without [16:08] any disdainable, lawful basis at all. [16:13] We have heard of agents pushing people because they look Latino or Somali, forcing them into car [16:20] accidents where they smash windows, cut seatbelts, carry people away. [16:27] Abandoned cars with broken windows have become a normal sight of daily life in the Twin Cities. [16:34] Trump claims Operation Metro Surge is about targeting criminals. [16:40] The reality is even more disturbing. [16:43] They have deliberately blurred the lines between public safety threats, legal immigration, and [16:49] U.S. citizens, creating an enforcement campaign so indiscriminate that citizens are being swept [16:56] up, arrested, and carried away to detention facilities. [17:00] In Minnesota, dozens of U.S. citizens have been taken into custody and released hours later. [17:08] We have yet to see charges materialize because in nearly all instances, no federal charges [17:15] are possible. [17:16] Similarly, this administration has worked to reduce any semblance of due process, sending [17:22] people out of state, specifically to prevent access to legal representation, separating them [17:29] from their family, counsel, and open removal processes for refugees with no legitimate legal basis. [17:36] This is the behavior of paramilitary force operating outside the bounds of law. [17:43] This administration has been entirely unresponsive. [17:47] Families cannot locate loved ones, attorneys cannot find their clients, members of Congress [17:52] can't get answers about where people are being held. [17:57] In North Minneapolis, doors have been battered down without judicial warrants, as ICE has conducted [18:04] door-to-door operations with guns drawn, actions that are neither legal or precedent. [18:10] People have been indiscriminately shoved in the streets, pushed into oncoming traffic, and [18:16] nearly hit by buses. [18:18] Flashbangs, pepper balls, and communicable irritants are used without a second thought. [18:25] This is not the America we want. [18:29] This is not the Minnesota we deserve. [18:31] And we will fight back. [18:33] Thank you. [18:34] And I hear – I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. [18:37] MS. [18:38] Thank you, Representative Omar. [18:39] I now recognize Representative Betty McCollum for three minutes for an opening statement. [18:43] MS. [18:56] To my colleagues, I want to give you all a very warm welcome here to Minnesota. [19:01] Today, you're going to hear what's been happening in our state. [19:05] The Trump administration is abusing its power of the federal government to deny people their [19:09] civil rights and subjecting them to violence, and the killing of Renee Goode by an ICE agent [19:15] is an example. [19:17] Minnesotans are being racially profiled on a mass level. [19:21] We are being assaulted in our streets. [19:24] They are being kidnapped from our communities. [19:26] Parents are seized in front of their children by masked federal agents. [19:32] High school students have been thrown to the ground and pepper sprayed on their own school [19:37] grounds. [19:38] And it's happening right here, right now. [19:41] ICE and the Department of Homeland Security must suspend all their actions at once to stop [19:46] the chaos and the physical danger. [19:48] The actions of these agents, which are totally unprofessional and illegal, create great harm [19:54] and fear. [19:55] Sunday, I saw the fear in young children's eyes and their mothers at a midway target when [20:01] ICE pulled into the parking lot. [20:03] One hour later, I watched as ICE agents drove through the Menards parking lot. [20:09] Because there was no place to stage, they left. [20:12] Our neighbors were yelling at them, some things I won't mention in public, but my favorite part [20:16] was, keep on driving, keep driving right out of Minnesota. [20:21] Clearly what I saw was not normal or right. [20:24] Noem, you better be preserving your documents unaltered because you are going to be held [20:31] to testify and you will be subpoenaed. [20:34] President Trump, stop stoking the chaos in our neighborhoods. [20:37] You are creating a dangerous escalation. [20:40] Now, Minnesota, we're not taking the bait. [20:45] To my fellow Americans and other states, these actions left unchallenged could mean your next. [20:52] People that you live alongside with will be denied their rights and their due process. [20:57] Today you will hear the truth of what's happening in Minnesota. [21:01] Minnesotans continue to be peaceful in your protests in the face of violence. [21:05] Yes, in the face of violence. [21:07] And keep on recording the actions of these federal agents. [21:11] But do it safely. [21:14] As we celebrate 250 years of the American experience, in the words of Benjamin Franklin after the Constitutional [21:20] Convention, he said, we have a republic if you can keep it. [21:25] Mr. Franklin was right. [21:27] Self-governance is within all of us. [21:29] I thank you, Pramila, I shouldn't be so informal, I'm sorry. [21:34] And the committee for being here. [21:36] And gathering an amazing group of people that I heard from last night. [21:40] Folks, be safe out there. [21:42] But stand up for your rights. [21:44] Because they're my rights too. [21:46] I yield back. [21:47] Thank you so much, Representative McCollum. [21:49] We're very fortunate to have with us both senators from the state of Minnesota. [21:53] I now recognize Senator Amy Klobuchar for two minutes for an opening statement. [22:30] They are causing confusion, chaos, and fear. [22:33] They are literally chasing door-dash delivery of people into the home of their art showroom. [22:41] They are chasing down legal citizens in parking lots and wrestling them down, as the congresswoman [22:48] just noted, in front of Menards and in targets. [22:52] But instead of de-escalating the situation, the administration has doubled down. [22:59] People are saying, look at my passport, look at my passport. [23:04] Legal workers at our airport, Native Americans, are being targeted on the way to their jobs. [23:10] I recently met with principals in city and suburban schools in Minnesota. [23:15] And they told me the horror stories of little kids scared. [23:19] Teachers being wrestled down in front of them in their school parking lot. [23:24] Graduates being stopped. [23:27] And now the administration has chosen to send even more ICE officers to the point now where there are [23:32] nearly 3,000 of them, which is significantly more than the 1,100 sworn officers in Minneapolis [23:39] and St. Paul combined, and equal to these sworn officers in 10 metropolitan police departments. [23:46] This is completely, as the mayors know, out of balance, and it is chaos. [23:52] We are telling our people who are so offended for their neighbors and are standing up, not just in organized protests, [23:59] but are just standing up when they see it happen in stores. [24:02] We are telling them to be peaceful and not to take the bait from the threats coming out of the White House. [24:10] Because in the end, these people would not be here from all over the country if they didn't believe that democracy will prevail. [24:16] That the rule of law will prevail. [24:19] That this is who we are in Minnesota. [24:22] We are the people that slide down icy hills to get to a protest. [24:27] We are the people that quietly and loudly come together to help our neighbors. [24:33] We are the people, in the words of Renee Good's wife, Becca, lost the love of her life. [24:40] A mom of three who said that we must reject hate and embrace compassion. [24:47] So that is what I hope our representatives will pick up from their time in Minnesota, [24:53] and from our incredible witnesses today, that we're standing together. [24:58] Regardless, Democrats, Republicans, even though some people are louder than another, [25:02] people know that this invasion is not what our state is about. [25:06] And we're going to stand up. Thank you. [25:09] Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. [25:11] Now recognize Senator Tina Smith for two minutes for an opening statement. [25:15] Well, good morning, everybody. [25:17] And thank you all so much for being here. [25:19] I want to add my thanks to members of Congress who have made this trip to Minnesota [25:24] to stand in solidarity with all of us. [25:26] And also to the incredible local leaders with my fellow members of the Minnesota congressional delegation, [25:33] local leaders, the mayors here today, many state legislators that are in the audience. [25:38] And particularly, I want to thank the activists and organizers and community leaders that are in the audience, [25:47] who are doing the work of keeping our communities as safe as we can. [25:52] So, President Trump's illegal deportation campaign is leaving Minnesotans and Americans detained, arrested, injured, and killed, [26:09] all the while trampling on our basic civil rights and due process. [26:14] It is making us all less safe, it is dangerous, and it must stop. [26:19] Renee Good, a United States citizen, a wife and a mother, was shot and killed by federal agents in broad daylight [26:27] in the middle of a Minneapolis street. [26:29] The federal government within hours labeled her as a domestic terrorist before they even knew her name [26:36] and are clearly attempting to cover up what happened. [26:39] And in Minnesota today, people are literally calling 911 [26:45] because they need protection from federal agents that are threatening their safety and their security. [26:51] ICE agents are blatantly profiling black and brown and Asian people and Native Americans. [26:59] And this is happening not just in Minneapolis and St. Paul, but in suburbs and small towns and communities all over Minnesota. [27:07] Now, many of these agents are clearly poorly trained, which puts us all in danger. [27:12] But they are also hostile and emboldened because they have been told, starting with the vice president, [27:18] that they have 100% immunity. [27:21] And as a result, people are getting hurt and even killed. [27:25] And of course, just yesterday, the president literally threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, [27:31] which amounts to declaring war on the state of Minnesota. [27:34] I am so grateful to all of you here today who are going to help us tell this story, [27:40] not only to Minnesota, but to the country. [27:43] Because we know that most Americans do not support this blatant illegal activity. [27:49] And the more they hear about what is happening, the more they will add their voices [27:54] to the powerful resistance that we are seeing here in Minnesota. [27:58] And that is the way that we will win this important fight. [28:02] Thank you so much, everyone. [28:04] Thank you so much, Senator Smith. [28:06] We are fortunate to be joined with two members of our House Democratic leadership. [28:11] Ted Lieu, the Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, is here. [28:14] And I now recognize House Democratic Caucus Whip, Catherine Clark, [28:19] for an opening statement for two minutes. [28:21] So pleased to be here. [28:29] Thank you, Congresswoman Jayapal, for bringing us together today. [28:33] And thank you to Congresswoman Omar and McCollum for hosting us in the Twins. [28:41] Mayor Hur and to Attorney General Ellison of the witnesses. [28:48] Thank you for taking the time to be here while your community and state is under siege [28:55] and weighed down by injustice. [28:58] The sheer number of colleagues that we have in attendance underscores how deeply the pain of Minnesota [29:08] is felt across the entire country. [29:12] And it reflects what the American people understand about this moment. [29:18] That if this terror can be on the people of Minnesota, it can be directed on any of us. [29:27] If the sovereignty of this state, its local prosecutors, can be threatened by the untrained recruits [29:37] that Kristi Noem has fashioned into a mass paramilitary force, then none of us have true security. [29:46] And if the shooting of Renee Goode can be deemed justified without investigation, [29:53] then we know all of our freedom is threatened. [29:58] I want to thank the people of Minnesota for their resolve and grit, for their courage, [30:08] and for turning towards each other in love instead of turning away in fear. [30:15] You are setting a model for how we respond with strength and community. [30:22] And to our witnesses, we thank you for speaking out and sharing your stories. [30:29] Your courage inspires us, and we will be taking your voices to all of our work that lies ahead in these perilous days. [30:41] Thank you again, Congresswoman, for pulling us together and for being here. [30:46] I am so grateful to be part of this important and urgent discussion. [30:52] And I yield back. [30:53] Thank you so much, Whip Clark. [30:56] For those of you who are looking to use Wi-Fi, you can use Ledge Public Wi-Fi and there's no password. [31:02] It is now my pleasure to introduce today's witnesses for our first panel. [31:09] Keith Ellison was sworn in as Minnesota's 30th Attorney General on January 7th, 2019. [31:16] As the people's lawyer, Attorney General Ellison's job is to help Minnesotans afford their lives [31:21] and live with dignity, safety, and respect. [31:24] From 2007 to 2019, Attorney General Ellison represented Minnesota's 5th Congressional District [31:31] in the United States House of Representatives and served as a dear friend and colleague for many of us on this dais. [31:38] Prior to Congress, Attorney General Ellison served four years in the Minnesota House of Representatives, [31:43] as well as spending 16 years as an attorney specializing in civil rights and defense law. [31:49] He received his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990 [31:53] and is the proud father of four adult children. [31:56] Jacob Fry has served as mayor of Minneapolis since 2018, being re-elected twice in 2021 and 2025. [32:06] A member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor Party, he served on the Minneapolis City Council, [32:12] representing Ward 3 from 2014 to 2018. [32:16] Prior to entering elected office, Mayor Fry worked as an employment and civil rights attorney [32:22] and became an active community organizer. [32:25] He also became involved in advocacy for those experiencing homelessness, [32:29] helping tenants who lost their homes in North Minneapolis. [32:33] Mayor Fry received his undergraduate degree from William & Mary and law degree from Villanova University. [32:40] Kali Hur was sworn in as the 56th mayor of St. Paul earlier this year. [32:45] She is the first woman, the first Asian American, and the first Hmong American to hold this position. [32:52] Prior to being elected mayor, she served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025. [32:58] Mayor Hur was born in the mountains of Laos and came to the United States as a refugee at the age of three. [33:05] A strong work ethic, her family's tenacity and support from her community, [33:09] propelled Mayor Hur to the highest levels of our state government and now to City Hall, [33:14] where she brings her years of lived experience across different sectors to help move St. Paul forward. [33:20] I thank you all for your leadership in these incredibly difficult times and for being here today. [33:26] We ask that you summarize your testimony in four minutes to help you stay within that time. [33:31] There is a timer here to keep track. [33:33] Attorney General Ellison, you may begin. [33:35] Thank you very much, Congresswoman Jayapal. [33:39] And words simply cannot embrace and capture how grateful we are for all of you to be here to bear witness and to be present to what is happening in our beloved state of Minnesota right now. [33:52] Your presence here is incredibly important and impactful, shining a light on what is the single most unjust thing I've ever seen happen to our state of Minnesota. [34:08] The Trump administration's decision to target Minnesota in the Twin Cities flooding our streets with thousands of federal immigration agents is not about public safety. [34:19] It's not about fraud. [34:22] It's not even about immigration enforcement. [34:25] It is because in the words of Donald Trump, he believes that he won our state three times, but he did not win it in the election. [34:35] I'm quoting him. [34:36] He's the one who said these words, not me. [34:40] In fact, when he said what he said, it was so incredible that I had to replay it a few times to make sure that I heard that this was about vindictiveness and an election loss, not anything to do with any legitimate public interest. [34:56] And you've heard already from the very accurate descriptions from our congressional presenters that we've seen attacks on high schools over 3000 agent surge warrantless searches killings shootings. [35:12] Uh, and none of this has done anything to help Minnesota. [35:17] In fact, it has hurt Minnesota. [35:19] In fact, it has diminished economic activity in our state deprived schools, children from education created barriers for public life and has expanded costs on our state. [35:33] You'll hear from both of our mayors how both of them are dealing with increased costs for overtime. [35:41] I'll leave that to them to describe. [35:43] But that is why the three of us joined together with the state of Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul to sue the Trump administration over Operation Metro surge. [35:55] Let me be clear. [35:56] Let me be clear. [35:57] We're not suing because ice is in Minnesota. [35:59] They were night. [36:00] They were in Minnesota last year. [36:01] They're in Minnesota 10 years ago. [36:03] We didn't sue them. [36:04] Then we sued them over this activity, which is unjustified, unconstitutional damages our state interferes with our sovereignty as a member of the youth. [36:14] These United States violates the administrative procedures act is arbitrary, capricious and damaging to all of us. [36:24] That is what this lawsuit is all about. [36:28] And I just want to note that you've heard much about how the behavior of ISIS is taxing our local law enforcement. [36:38] But I want to be clear. [36:40] Local law enforcement is doing a good job. [36:42] They're maintaining order in our state. [36:44] The order, if to the degree there is a lack of it or a challenge, is directly and exclusively because of the Metro surge authorized by the President of the United States. [36:58] This is, and so as he contemplates the insurrection act, please know that this is, we do not need federal authorities to help us maintain order. [37:07] We need them to stop doing things. [37:09] That is what is needed in this situation. [37:13] And that is what we're demanding in our lawsuit. [37:16] So let me just say that the family of Renee Nicole Good and the family of everyone who's been thrown to the ground, beaten, harassed, arrested in a warrantless search. [37:30] Anyone whose business has been destroyed had to face closing their business because of this conduct that we are standing with you and we will not stand by idly as this injustice unfolds. [37:45] We will stand up and assert all means legal to protect the people of our state. [37:50] I will yield back. [37:52] Thank you, Attorney General. [37:54] Mayor Frag, you may begin for four minutes. [37:57] Thank you. [37:58] Ranking Member Jayapal, Congresswoman Omar, members of this committee, we are so grateful to have you here today. [38:06] Our ask is that you take the things that you have seen and you have heard from Minnesota, you bring them back to your respective districts. [38:15] You talk to your colleagues that aren't here with us. [38:17] You talk to both Democrats and Republicans about the unconstitutional violations that are happening in Minnesota and Minneapolis. [38:26] And we put a stop to this because what we're seeing on our streets is unnecessary abuses of force. [38:34] This is an invasion for the sake of creating chaos by our own federal government to interrupt the daily lives of tens of thousands of people. [38:45] As the Attorney General said, this is not about safety. [38:49] This is not about immigration. [38:51] This is about sowing chaos on the streets of Minneapolis. [38:55] This is about political retribution. [38:58] And we in Minneapolis are suffering the brunt of it right now. [39:02] Let me tell you what that looks like. [39:03] It looks like businesses closing. [39:05] It looks like people on the streets that are terrified to get picked up. [39:12] It looks like United States citizens getting taken somewhere where they don't know where they are going, nor when they are going to return to their families. [39:21] It's families torn apart. [39:23] It's schools closing. [39:25] It's an unnecessary expense of taxpayer dollars just to try to keep order. [39:31] If this were about order, there would be a simple way to restore it. [39:37] And let me tell you a secret. [39:38] It's not restored by additional federal agents. [39:42] Order would be restored. [39:45] And I will make this prediction if those federal agents left. [39:49] As soon as they leave, we will have peace, we will have safety, and order will be restored. [39:57] Before the federal agents came here, our city was experiencing a brilliant comeback. [40:02] Indeed, we were on the way to a renaissance. [40:06] Safety had been improved. [40:08] Crime was down in virtually every category, in virtually every neighborhood. [40:13] Thus far in 2026, last I checked, we had only had four shootings. [40:20] Two of them were ICE. [40:23] An entire city of 435,000 people, four shootings, and two of them were ICE. [40:30] It is clear that the practices that ICE is using is unconstitutional. [40:36] They are not methodical. [40:37] They are not well planned out. [40:39] They have taken people out of their cars to detain them on major streets, left the car running, not in park. [40:47] Car rolls down the streets. [40:49] You don't need to be a genius to figure out that that is not safe. [40:52] We've had small children that have been damaged by the inhalation of some form of gas. [41:06] We've had loose dogs that were left unattended in the streets after ICE arrested and drove away with its own. [41:13] This is not making Minneapolis safer. [41:15] This is not about safety. [41:17] And I think the main message here is this is not sustainable. [41:22] We have had tens of thousands of people in our city beautifully stand up for one another. [41:31] They've showed this entire country who we are, how you love your neighbor, how you make a commitment to the greater good in society. [41:40] And we have seen consistent unconstitutional practice by ICE discriminating only on the basis of are you Latino? [41:51] Are you Somali? [41:52] And then indiscriminate pickups thereafter. [41:55] People are walking around on the street with their passports. [42:00] That's not American. [42:01] That's the furthest thing from it. [42:03] Please take back to your respective constituencies and your colleagues the message of if you love your own community. [42:11] Do not let this happen in ours. [42:13] Thank you, Mayor Frey. [42:16] Mayor Hur, you're recognized for four minutes. [42:18] Thank you. [42:19] Friends, neighbors, and members of the United States Senate and House, welcome to our capital city of St. Paul, where we are a big city but a small community. [42:30] I sit before you today, a newly sworn in mayor of a city under siege by the federal government. [42:35] Right now, federal law enforcement officers far outnumber local law enforcement officers in Minneapolis and St. Paul. [42:42] The tragic effect of this occupation of rippling far and wide throughout our communities. [42:47] Beyond the immediate and tragic human toll of rounding up our residents based on what they look and sound like. [42:53] The economic impacts on our city are far reaching and likely unquantifiable in the near term. [42:58] St. Paul public schools need to close so that they can offer remote learning for students so that they can feel safe in their learning. [43:05] We've received reports of federal law enforcement officers going door to door asking people where the Asian people live. [43:12] Right in our very own city. [43:14] I myself have received advice to carry my passport with me because I may that they may try to target me based on what I look like as well. [43:22] Our immigrant refugee and communities of color are hurting. [43:26] I've been meeting with immigrant business owners to develop plans to throw them a lifeline and help them stay afloat. [43:31] I've heard from them that some of their sales have dropped 60% if they're even able to stay open at all. [43:37] They are relying on community networks and volunteers to secure their entrances and monitor their parking lots. [43:42] It is draining their resources and ours. [43:45] Our law enforcement officers are responding to incidents across our city in which residents are feeling threatened and having their rights violated. [43:52] Car accidents caused by ICE agents leaving physical injuries and hazards on our roadways. [43:57] They have fired shots in our streets and we've heard from citizens who were held in detention centers in a US citizen section. [44:04] Our residents are scared and confused by the number of agents in uniforms bearing the words police that do not behave or treat residents the way St. Paul police officers do. [44:13] It is undermining the trust within our officers. [44:19] If this were about safety, federal agents would be going after people who are truly a threat to our community. [44:24] Instead, they are casting a wide net, scooping up residents who enrich our community, contribute to our economy, and make up the fabric of our cities and state, producing vibrancy for our communities. [44:34] We are ground zero for Trump's war in America, a war on our democracy, on our freedoms, on our rights as Americans. [44:41] It is in our backyard today and it is only a matter of time before it is in yours. [44:46] As congressional colleagues at the highest level of our federal government, we need you to act, to speak out, to elevate stories of what is happening to our residents. [44:55] I was with my parents last night for an hour talking to them and they told me they hadn't opened their blinds in days. [45:02] They were afraid that their neighbors would tell them that that house was an Asian house. [45:07] That my parents have both moved all of their hospital visits, their doctor's visits, to remote or to virtual because they are afraid to leave their home. [45:15] That is the America that we are living in right now, where people cannot access food, they cannot access healthcare, they cannot access their basic needs because of the terror, because our cities are under siege. [45:26] We need your help, whatever it may be. We are standing united and strong, but we need immediate relief for our cities. [45:33] Thank you so much for being here and thank you so much for lifting up what is happening in our city and our state. I yield back my time. [45:40] Thank you so much, Mayor Herr, and thank you all for your incredible strength and leadership. We appreciate you being here and will excuse you to go back to all the things I know were before you. [45:51] I'd now like to invite up the witnesses for the second panel. I now recognize Representative Omar to introduce our second panel of witnesses. [46:37] Thank you so much to our first panel. It is my pleasure to introduce today's witnesses for the second panel. [46:48] Deependi Singh Mayer has been the executive director of the ACLU Minnesota for the last four years. Prior to that, he served as the executive director of the James Binger Center for New Americans at the University of Minnesota Law School. [47:05] Prior to that, he served as the director of the refugee and immigration program at the Advocates for Human Rights in Minneapolis, where he directed the organization's legal services program that provided representation to asylum seekers at all levels of litigation, including before the Supreme Court. [47:24] Mr. Mayor let its national assembly project, which supported pro bono attorneys representing asylum seekers throughout the United States. A graduate of the Brooklyn Law School mayor has spent his career working for vulnerable populations. [47:42] Patty is a 26-year-old U.S. citizen who has lived in South Minneapolis for 14 years, originally from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, who's here today to testify about her experience of being forcefully taken by ICE and what she had witnessed inside the Bishop Henry Wibble Federal Building, where Minnesotans are being held in dehumanizing conditions. [48:09] Mubashir is a resident of Minneapolis and a U.S. citizen whose family came to the United States as refugees and he grew up in this country. [48:18] He works as a manager at a mental health services provider in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. [48:26] He's here today to describe his interactions with the Department of Homeland Security. [48:32] Emilia Gonzalez Avalos is an immigrant from Mexico City, raised in Minnesota. [48:40] She leads UNIDOS, Minnesota, where she helped grow a small student collective into the state's largest multiracial, multigenerational, women-led, PIPOC majority organization in the state. [48:56] UNIDOS Minnesota builds power across race, income, age, and zip codes, cultivating leadership, belonging, and agencies. [49:06] UNIDOS Minnesota drives people-powered policy agenda, shifts culture, and creates durable community power that delivers tangible improvements for working families across Minnesota. [49:18] UNIDOS Minnesota is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations, where he has worked for the last 11 years. [49:29] Mr. Hussein works to challenge Islamophobia, address racial and social inequalities in the state of Minnesota. [49:36] Since the killing of George Floyd and before, he has worked on addressing both federal and local law enforcement accountability. [49:44] Hussein's family immigrated from Somalia to Minnesota in 1993, probably one of the first families to arrive, and is trilingual in English, Somali, and Arabic. [49:56] Mr. Hussein holds degrees in community development and city planning from St. Cloud State University and political science degree from North Dakota State University. [50:08] Chief Kelly McCarthy was appointed chief of the Mendota Heights Police Department in 2017. [50:15] Prior to her employment in Mendota Heights, Chief McCarthy has worked for Lionel Lake's police department. [50:21] She has worked in various law enforcement roles, including as a community service officer, training officer, and deputy director of public service. [50:30] Chief McCarthy has a master's degree in leadership and education from the University of St. Thomas, [50:36] and is a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School where she studied applying behavioral insights to the design of public policy and leadership decision making. [50:48] She's a graduate of the 235th session of the FBI National Academy and was appointed chair of the Peace Office Standards and Training Board by Governor Walz and served from 2019 to 2023. [51:03] Thank you, Representative Omar. We welcome all of our distinguished witnesses for panel two, and we thank you for participating in today's hearing. [51:15] We ask that you summarize your testimony in four minutes to help you stay within that time. There is a timer to help you keep track. [51:22] Mr. Mayel, you may begin. [51:24] Thank you, Ranking Member Jayapal and distinguished members of Congress. Thank you for holding today's hearing. My name is Dipinder Mayel, and I am honored to serve as the executive director of the ACLU of Minnesota. [51:37] You visit our beautiful city in a time of profound grief, fear, and outrage. In recent weeks, we have experienced violence, chaos, and abuse at the hands of hundreds and now thousands of masked agents, [51:50] vanishing weapons of war in American streets. Today, I will share with you about two recent ACLU of Minnesota lawsuits that document these profound harms and the administration's brazen violation of our laws. [52:03] And first, I want to tell you a bit more about what we are experiencing. Agents have stormed our parks and schoolyards, blocked our streets, barricaded store parking lots, and thrown tear gas in front of our homes and schools. [52:18] While many Minnesotans are peacefully protesting, many others are afraid to leave their homes. [52:23] Public schools in Minneapolis closed earlier this month after federal agents pepper sprayed, tackled, and handcuffed multiple people at a high school. [52:33] More than 30% of students were absent from classes this week. [52:37] Parts of our city are like a ghost town, as the very presence of federal agents make them terrified to go about their daily life. [52:44] And many immigrant neighbors have not left their homes in days, avoiding basic activities like buying groceries, picking up prescriptions, or going to work. [52:53] These federal agents swore an oath to our Constitution, yet they have broken dozens of our laws. [53:00] As we documented in our lawsuit filed yesterday, Hussein v. Noam, mass federal agents are violently stopping and arresting countless people based on nothing more than their race and perceived ethnicity in violation of the Fourth Amendment and federal law. [53:17] In Minnesota, the overwhelming majority of Somali, Latino, and Hmong individuals are U.S. citizens, including 95% of Somali Minnesotans. [53:24] We also have a large Native American population that is being unfairly targeted. [53:29] Because of the dragnet tactics, American citizens are being swept up and wrongfully arrested. [53:36] One such citizen is Mubashir Khalif Hussein, who you will hear from shortly. [53:41] When he was walking to lunch, when an unmarked SUV approached him, a man wearing a ski mask and a police vest, who refused to identify himself, pushed him into a restaurant. [53:51] And despite being presented with clear documentation of his citizenship, federal agents took him into custody and forced him to submit to a face scan. [53:59] In recent weeks, ordinary Minnesotans have banded together to bear witness and peacefully protest. [54:05] And in response, we have seen an unprecedented attack on dissent, which we documented in our lawsuit in December 2025, Tincher v. Noam. [54:14] Federal agents have abducted U.S. citizens, held them incommunicado for hours, pepper sprayed and aimed assault rifles at protesters and observers, and even followed observers home to scare them. [54:26] Our plaintiff in that case is Sue Tincher. She was observing agents and only asked, are you ICE? [54:32] She was forced to the ground, handcuffed, taken to a federal building, had some of her clothes cut off and her wedding ring cut off, shackled and left in a cell for hours, then released without charge. [54:45] This is happening across the country and not just in Minnesota. [54:49] The First Amendment demands better. Those were the words of a federal district court judge in Southern California. [54:56] And while we fight for our rights in court, we also need help from members of Congress. [55:01] The president was able to secure $170 billion in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. [55:07] And that has enabled ICE to become what it is today, a dangerous agency acting without impunity. [55:13] As they abuse our communities, they continue to ask for more funding, and we need you to act. [55:18] We need you to use the power of the purse to demand an end to the Trump administration's unprecedented, lawless and dangerous escalation in our community. [55:27] And we urge that you demand federal forces to withdraw from Minnesota before another life is taken. Thank you. [55:34] Thank you. [55:35] Thank you, Mr. Mayo. [55:36] Ms. Patty, you're recognized. [55:38] Just quickly, before I start my testimony, I just wanted to clarify that in my bio it said I'm 26. [55:45] And while I wish I was still 26, I am now 36. [55:48] I meant to say 36. [55:52] That's okay. [55:54] So, thank you, Madam Chair and community members. [55:58] This past Sunday, January 11th, my friend Brandon Seguenza and I responded to reports of two ICE vehicles cornering and pepper spraying the car of an observer in my neighborhood. [56:09] We are both U.S. citizens. [56:11] We decided to go there because we'd heard that the more eyes on ICE agents, the less likely they are to escalate to violence. [56:18] When we got there, the ICE agents were getting back into their two vehicles. [56:22] They turned down a side street and we followed them for about 40 seconds, blowing our whistles and honking our horns, the few ways we've been able to successfully warn people that ICE is in the neighborhood. [56:33] Halfway down the block, ICE stopped, got out, and surrounded the vehicle, yelling at us to stop following them. [56:41] On their way back to their vehicles, one of the agents turned around and decided to come back and pepper spray into the vents near my front windshield, which immediately started burning our eyes and throats. [56:52] When we didn't turn around, they came back again and without asking us to get out of the car, smashed both of the front windows, dragged us out and arrested us. [57:00] We were released without charges nine hours later. [57:03] Brandon and I were transported separately. [57:07] I was put in a car with three agents and no other civilians. [57:11] As soon as the agents got into the car and shut the doors, they immediately started taunting and mocking me. [57:17] One agent took a photo of me on a cell phone and showed it to the other two, laughing. [57:21] Another made demeaning comments about my appearance. [57:24] About two minutes into the ride, one agent said, quote, [57:28] You guys got to stop obstructing us. That's why this lesbian bitch is dead. [57:33] Speaking of Renee Good. [57:35] Which filled me with rage and sadness. [57:38] How could you say that? [57:39] And then I remembered that cruelty and humiliation were probably the point. [57:44] When we got to the Whipple Federal Building, I immediately saw Hispanic and East African people lined up against a wall about to be put into holding cells. [57:54] I was escorted into the building and led to a room where they put me in ankle shackles. [58:01] I was then taken to a hallway with cells designated for U.S. citizens and was held there for over eight hours. [58:06] While I was there, I was never given a phone call, despite asking at least four times. [58:13] My friend and I, in adjacent cells, had to beg for water and to go to the bathroom. [58:19] The bathrooms were in different holding cells, often with other people in them, with only a three-foot panel in front of the toilet to cover people's bottom halves. [58:28] While being escorted to the bathroom and to questioning, I saw holding cells with over a dozen people each and a large holding cell of between 40 to 50 people. [58:38] Most of the people there were Hispanic and East African, both women and men. [58:43] Some cells had no room for people to sit or lay down. [58:47] Most people I saw were staring straight ahead, not talking, despondent and grief-stricken. [58:54] And I know I'll never forget their faces. [58:57] Inside, when I was inside my cell, I heard wailing, screaming, crying, begging and pleading from women, men and children. [59:07] Alongside that visceral anguish was the small talk, banter and laughter from the federal agents outside our cells, [59:15] clearly desensitized to the deep and audible pain right in front of their eyes. [59:20] It's worth mentioning that two other people in my cell with me that day were Marine Corps veterans, [59:26] brave women who said they had gotten arrested for the same reason they wanted to join the Marines, to protect their fellow countrymen. [59:33] One of them had cut scrapes, a swollen wrist and a twisted ankle from being brutally handled during her arrest. [59:41] She said she couldn't believe that the first time a gun was turned on her was by her own government. [59:46] I was made to feel scared and humiliated throughout the arrest process. [59:52] At the detention center, I was made to feel intimidated and as though my constitutional rights and biological needs didn't matter. [59:58] After all that, I was released without charges, which makes it clear to me that this is more of a campaign to spread fear and terror than it is to enforce the law. [1:00:10] The people of Minneapolis are collateral damage to the Trump administration's political theater, [1:00:16] a campaign to paint black and brown people and liberals as villains, [1:00:21] to distract from an unprecedented reign of corruption and criminality at the executive level, [1:00:26] while at the same time making it clear to all of us, even U.S. citizens, that this administration does not [1:00:32] and will not honor the basic constitutional rights to which we are all entitled. [1:00:36] I've never felt more afraid in my 14 years of living in this city than I have this past month with ice running rampant [1:00:42] and killing one of my neighbors. [1:00:44] I ask for you to do everything in your power to stop this campaign of terror so we can return to a sense of safety and normalcy. [1:00:51] I'm lucky to be back at home with my loved ones and that I can return to my job and my community. [1:00:57] Renee Good's family never gets to see her again. [1:01:00] The 100 or so people I saw in that facility don't get to come home and that is unconscionable. [1:01:05] Thank you. [1:01:07] Thank you so much, Ms. Patty. [1:01:08] Mr. Mubashir, you're recognized for four minutes. [1:01:10] Mr. Jayapal and distinguished members of Congress, thank you for the invitation to testify before you today. [1:01:20] My name is Mubashir Khalif Hussein. I am a 20-year-old U.S. citizen. [1:01:24] My family is Somali and when I was six or seven years old, my family arrived in the United States as refugees from Ethiopia. [1:01:33] Eight months after arriving in the United States, we moved to Minnesota. [1:01:39] I became a naturalized citizen in 2019 along with my parents and my siblings. [1:01:46] But my citizenship did not protect me from being physically detained and hurt by ICE agents. [1:01:52] On December 10, 2025, I was at work in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. [1:01:57] Around 1 p.m. I heard a commotion and what sounded like whistles and car horns. [1:02:03] When I looked out the window, I saw what I assumed were ICE agents on the street. [1:02:09] I did not want to be confronted by ICE, so I waited 20 or 30 minutes until the sounds died down before taking my lunch break. [1:02:19] As I entered the building, I paused to speak with someone on the street about what had happened earlier. [1:02:24] That was when I noticed an unmarked 10 SUV approaching us. [1:02:28] A man wearing a ski mask and a police-style vest entered the vehicle and quickly walked towards me. [1:02:35] The man did not say stop or identify himself. [1:02:38] I turned to walk away, hoping he would leave me alone. [1:02:42] The man crooked his pace, grabbed me forcefully and pushed me into a restaurant and asked, [1:02:50] Why are you running from me? [1:02:52] I was not running. [1:02:53] I was just walking away because I did not want to talk to him. [1:02:56] I knew that ICE agents had been targeting people that looked like me. [1:03:00] I immediately started repeating over and over again, [1:03:04] I'm a citizen, I'm a citizen, I'm a citizen. [1:03:07] But the agent did not stop to look at my ID. [1:03:09] As second ICE agent entered the restaurant to there, they dragged me outside and put me into a headlock on the ground. [1:03:17] I repeated, I'm a citizen, I have an ID. [1:03:20] The agent kept saying, that don't matter, that don't matter. [1:03:23] They put me in the back of an SUV. [1:03:27] While I was sitting in the back of the SUV, my boss came out with a copy of my passport card. [1:03:33] He held the paper on the agent's windshield, but the officers ignored him and refused to take the documents into account. [1:03:41] They eventually drove me one street over before parking and told me they had to scare my face. [1:03:49] I was terrified of what they were going to do, a picture of me, and I did not trust them. [1:03:55] I would not let them take a picture of me. [1:03:57] The officer also kept telling me that they were going to take me in if I did not let them scare my face. [1:04:04] One of the officers pulled out his phone and threatened to push a button and call for transport. [1:04:10] At that point, there were three ICE agents with me in the car. [1:04:14] My back hurt from when I was putting a headlock on the ground and the handcuffs were extremely tight on my wrist. [1:04:21] Each time I asked the agent, can you please loosen the handcuffs, he would squeeze my hands. [1:04:27] When I asked for medical attention from my back and my wrist, the original ICE agent told me there were going to be medical assistants at the facility. [1:04:36] After about half an hour, the ICE agent drove me to the office near Fort Snelling. [1:04:42] When we arrived, they forced me to take the face stand. [1:04:45] When we got into a building, the agents took the handcuffs off me and put shackles on my ankles before searching me. [1:04:53] I asked for water. They said no. Then an employee told me I was being deported. [1:04:58] I again insisted that I was a citizen and that I could show proof over on my phone. [1:05:04] I showed a picture of my passport card to a woman at the ICE office. [1:05:09] She took a picture of my passport card and then searched for my name in the criminal database. [1:05:14] Eventually, she said, kick him out. It is difficult to believe that this happened to me. [1:05:21] I knew that the president had made statements about Somali people and that there would be additional ICE officers in the Twin Cities focused on Somali people. [1:05:29] But I did not think that this would happen to me, someone in my family. [1:05:34] We are all United States citizens, so we should not be at risk of being jailed or deported by ICE. [1:05:40] In a neighborhood in which I work, I hear screaming all the time. [1:05:48] Coming from encounters with federal immigration agents, I also hear whistles and haunting all the time. [1:05:54] When I hear these things, my heart starts beating really fast and I can't breathe. [1:06:00] It brings me back to what I went through and it almost feels like it's happening to me again. [1:06:05] It is terrifying right now, wherever I go. [1:06:08] I am here today because what happened to me is wrong. [1:06:13] The targeting, harassing, violence and detention of Somali Americans is wrong. [1:06:18] And I am worried for the safety of me, my family and my neighbors and community. [1:06:23] If Congress does not act, we will continue to be harmed simply for living in the United States of America. [1:06:31] Thank you. [1:06:33] Thank you so much, Mr. Mubashir. [1:06:36] Ms. Gonzalez-Avalos, you were recognized for four minutes. [1:06:40] Thank you, Chair Jayapal and members of Congress. [1:06:44] My name is Emilia Gonzalez-Avalos. I'm Executive Director of Unidos Minnesota. [1:06:49] I am here today because our communities are experiencing a human rights and constitutional crisis [1:06:54] as a result of Operation Surge and the historic mass deployment of federal immigration officers across Minnesota. [1:07:01] I want to speak about Unidos Project Monarca, a coalition of thousands of workers, students, [1:07:07] people of faith, parents, clergy, business owners, teachers, caregivers and young people [1:07:13] who have trained over 26,000 everyday Minnesotans as neighborhood observers [1:07:21] to help people protect rights where it matters the most, on the ground and in our communities. [1:07:28] This work is called Constitutional Observing. [1:07:33] It's a peaceful, lawful act of witnessing government activity [1:07:37] and ensuring constitutional rights are respected in real time, documented interactions, [1:07:42] de-escalating and providing transparency where power is being exercised against everyday people. [1:07:49] Our protection is our power. [1:07:52] We stand for the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. [1:07:56] Free speech, peaceful protest and protection for unreasonable searches and seizures. [1:08:01] These rights are the backbone of a healthy democracy. [1:08:04] They are about dignity, privacy and safety in our own neighborhoods. [1:08:09] We Minnesotans are keeping us safe. [1:08:12] We are the light. [1:08:15] Since the Operation Metro Surge began, our phones have not stopped ringing. [1:08:20] This administration continues to argue that these operations target so-called criminals [1:08:25] who are a burden to social systems, yet the reality on the ground tells a different story. [1:08:31] Federal agents continue to target workplaces and small businesses, [1:08:35] the very places where people contribute to our economy, support their families and sustain local communities. [1:08:42] This administration claims this surge brings security and safety, [1:08:46] but at the same time federal officers are operating around hospitals, schools and places of worship, [1:08:52] spaces that should be protected, not militarized. [1:08:55] These actions create fear, disruption services and send shockwaves far beyond a single arrest. [1:09:02] These ripple effects are felt across entire communities and across the state of Minnesota, [1:09:07] undermining trust, stability and public safety itself. [1:09:11] We get calls from families whose relatives are predominantly workers with no criminal convictions. [1:09:18] were picked up on their way to work while dropping children off to school or simply taking out the trash. [1:09:25] We get calls from parents who spend hours waiting for their spouse to come home, [1:09:30] only to realize something is wrong and they don't know where to turn. [1:09:34] We hear from families and attorneys who have searched for hours for their loved ones. [1:09:38] We hear how children as young as four years old have been detained [1:09:42] and how families are unable to find them in the federal tracking system for hours and days at a time. [1:09:49] We hear of warehouses in Minnesota suburbs where people are questioned and processed in the dark [1:09:54] without transparency and without clear access to legal counsel. [1:09:58] Not only that, the ACLU enforcement complaint form has become the most shared resource among our operators [1:10:08] and constitutional observers. [1:10:11] It is shared because people are witnessing violations they believe must be documented and reported. [1:10:16] As this operation intensifies, so have attacks of those who are simply watching. [1:10:22] Train observers peaceful, identifiable and acting within the law have been followed, [1:10:31] ordered to stop filming, pushed out sidewalks and roads, violently treated and threatened with arrest. [1:10:38] Some have been violently detained for doing nothing more than exercising their First Amendment rights. [1:10:44] When the government treats observers as interference, when witnesses are intimidated [1:10:50] and when cameras are treated as threats, constitutional erosion is no longer theoretical. [1:10:55] It is happening in real time. [1:10:57] On January 7, 2026, a nice agent shot and killed our neighbor, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, [1:11:04] a U.S. citizen and a Minneapolis resident, a moment that sparked grief, outrage and widespread protest. [1:11:11] This tragic death underscores the deep distrust many Minnesotans feel towards federal enforcement apparatus [1:11:17] because people should not have to worry that an encounter with a mask-armed federal agent could cost them their lives. [1:11:24] This is not about whether immigration law exists. [1:11:28] This is about how power is exercised. [1:11:31] Thank you so much, Ms. Gonzalez-Avalos. [1:11:34] Can I wrap up, Chair Jayapal? [1:11:36] Go ahead. [1:11:38] If you can make it really fast. [1:11:40] I promise I'm wrapping up. [1:11:42] Thank you. [1:11:44] This scale and tactics of Operation Metro Search have destabilized neighborhoods, separated families, [1:11:49] undermined local authorities and eroded public trust. [1:11:52] Communities are not safer and Minnesota should not be a testing ground for unchecked federal force. [1:11:57] I offer this testimony with the awareness of the risk of federal retaliation to myself, my family, our members and constitutional observers in our workplace [1:12:07] precisely because we have chosen to bring this information into the public record and to exercise the First Amendment rights that are fundamental to our democracy. [1:12:16] We need eyesight of Minnesota until our constitutional compliance, transparency and accountability are restored. [1:12:23] Congress must reassert its oversight role, freeze their funds, help prosecute Agent Ross and all agents acting outside the law [1:12:32] and make clear that enforcement goals never justify the suspension of constitutional rights. [1:12:38] Our democracy depends on a high functioning civilian participation under rule of law and the rule of law depends on accountability to power. [1:12:47] Thank you very much, Chair Jayapal. [1:12:50] Thank you, Ms. Gonzalez-Avalos. [1:12:52] Appreciate you. [1:12:53] Mr. Hussain, you're recognized for four minutes. [1:12:56] Thank you, Congresswoman Jayapal. [1:12:59] To the members who are here today visiting us and standing with us, I want to just say deeply thank you. [1:13:04] Thank you for being here today. [1:13:06] Thank you for choosing to stand with us and thank you for bringing the spirit, the warmth of your district with us today. [1:13:14] I'm a proud Somali-American. [1:13:17] I appear before you today not just as a civil rights advocate but as a witness. [1:13:22] I'm here to testify to a sustained pattern of organized disinformation and targeted harassment against the Somali-American community. [1:13:33] What I'm describing is a familiar American story. [1:13:37] It has been updated, the digital age, but it remains rooted in long-standing systemic racial fear. [1:13:46] Since 2025 election, we have witnessed and documented an organized, coordinated, hate-targeting Somali-Americans, marked by nearly identical language, appearing across multiple online platforms within a compressed timeframe. [1:14:05] This activity originated and organized in MAGA online spaces, was designed, manufactured fear to dehumanize an entire community. [1:14:18] President Trump amplified and legitimized those narratives on social media, culminating in Christmas Day statements referring to Somali-Americans as garbage. [1:14:28] Words from the President of the United States are not symbolic. [1:14:32] They authorize behavior. [1:14:34] They normalize harassment. [1:14:36] They escalate threats. [1:14:38] And they lower the barrier to violence. [1:14:41] Somali-Americans sit in an intersection of multiple marginalized identities. [1:14:49] We are black, we're immigrants, and we're Muslim. [1:14:53] As a result, our community has been scapegoated through sweeping narratives that criminalize our entire community based on identity rather than evidence. [1:15:02] This reflects a broad institutional pattern that has targeted black and immigrant communities for generations from segregation, redlining, surveillance programs, travel bans, and voter suppression. [1:15:12] In fact, today, if you look at the travel ban, 24 out of the 54 African nations have a travel restriction. [1:15:21] Don't tell me that President Trump does not hate black people. [1:15:25] Targeting our Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, had produced measurable consequences, not only for her family, but our community. [1:15:36] Coinciding with increased attacks against mosques, today, Minnesota leads the nation in reported mosque attacks. [1:15:42] This escalation is not isolated, it's connected. [1:15:45] At the same time, these narratives have been used to expand the federal enforcement against our community and our state. [1:15:53] Somali-Americans have been living in Minnesota for nearly 30 years. [1:15:58] And yes, I was one of the first ones that came. [1:16:00] And the water was just fine in Minnesota, and we told the rest of the people to come down. [1:16:05] Our children represent the United States in Olympics. [1:16:12] My community, we are health workers, drivers, teachers, laborers, entrepreneurs, engineers, public servants. [1:16:20] In fact, at the lowest number that ICE knows, 95% of our community are either lawful residents or U.S. citizens. [1:16:29] In fact, 51% of our population are born here. [1:16:32] Somali-Americans do not belong here because of our economic productivity. [1:16:37] We belong here because we are Americans. [1:16:41] ICE enforcement targeting our community has been significant. [1:16:49] Parents are contacting our office and asking whether it's safe to send their children. [1:16:53] Elders are asking and carrying immigration documents simply to go to their mosque to practice their faith. [1:16:59] Businesses are closing across our state. [1:17:02] Refugees who fled war, who had been vetted, are now being swept in the past few days. [1:17:09] This is not about public safety. [1:17:11] This is about community destabilization. [1:17:14] Former FBI whistleblower Terry Aubrey warned us years ago about institutional bias directing Somali-Americans within the federal law enforcement here. [1:17:24] Those warnings have been ignored. [1:17:26] The consequences are now visible. [1:17:28] They came for the Somalis, but they got all of us. [1:17:34] Today, Renee Good is murdered. [1:17:37] She was not a Somali-American. [1:17:40] She was not an immigrant. [1:17:43] But she stood up. [1:17:45] She bore the witness and paid the price. [1:17:47] Her death is a warning of the unchecked enforcement of dehumanization that needs to stop. [1:17:54] Dr. King warned us injustice left unchecked spreads. [1:18:00] And that is why we are asking all of you today as Congress to act. [1:18:04] Do your job. [1:18:06] Stand up for the Constitution and the American people. [1:18:09] Our lives depend on it. [1:18:13] Our nation depends on it. [1:18:14] And the world depends on it. [1:18:16] Thank you, Mr. Hussain. [1:18:23] Chief McCarthy, you're recognized for four minutes. [1:18:25] Thank you, ma'am. [1:18:26] And thank you to everybody for allowing me to participate in this discussion. [1:18:31] And while I believe that we should keep the members of our communities who have been personally negatively impacted by Operation Retro Surge at the center of our conversation and efforts, [1:18:40] I've been asked here today to share my perspective regarding the activities of ICE expedited removal teams. [1:18:46] Chief, would you hold that mic just a little bit closer so we can hear you? [1:18:48] Thank you. [1:18:49] Sorry. [1:18:50] My perspective regarding the activities of ICE expedited removal teams and their impacts on local public safety. [1:18:56] The Department of Homeland Security plays a vital role in ensuring our national security at its highest level. [1:19:02] Homeland Security investigators are valuable partners and have collaborated with many local police departments, including the Mendota Heights Police Department. [1:19:08] We work together enforcing violations of the criminal code to reduce the physical and economic harm to the people of Minnesota. [1:19:16] And while we may support the mission of Homeland Security, the tactics currently being employed by the teams in Minnesota are having a profoundly detrimental effect on the safety and security of our communities and in the relationship between local police departments and the people that we serve. [1:19:30] Our officers are prohibited by law and policy from assisting civil immigration enforcement conducted by ICE and they're equally prohibited from interfering with or obstructing federal agents carrying out their duties. [1:19:44] Recently, we had an officer who was waved down by a motorist on a busy street. [1:19:48] By the time the officer was in position to contact the driver, ICE agents pulled up and began ordering the driver from the vehicle. [1:19:55] For our policy, our officer did not assist or obstruct, but it gave the impression that the officer was working with ICE and it has led to anger and confusion from our community and from the officer involved. [1:20:05] ICE agents have not communicated with our agency when operating in our city. [1:20:10] Often, our officers only learn of ICE activity when fielding questions regarding masked, armed men removing people from public places, leading everyone to be afraid and frustrated by the lack of information. [1:20:20] Neighboring agencies have spent considerable time and resources on possible kidnapping calls, only to learn days later that it was ICE enforcement action. [1:20:29] We are diverting resources from our core duties to deal with the aftermath of ICE actions, ranging from reports of suspicious activity and abandoned vehicles to unsafe driving complaints. [1:20:39] I and other officers watch anxiously as we see Minneapolis police officers standing between frightened community members and armed federal personnel, [1:20:47] absorbing public anger, fear and confusion for actions they did not initiate and cannot control. [1:20:55] Local police officers are in a no-win situation, being called upon to de-escalate volatile situations without the tools, information or authority required to do so effectively. [1:21:05] Since 2020, we have made major reforms in policing to ensure professional conduct, enhance high level of training, transparency and accountability throughout all the departments in the state of Minnesota. [1:21:16] Our efforts to regain public trust after the murder of George Floyd are being eroded as a direct result of Operation Metro Surge. [1:21:25] Individuals who support the activity of ICE are angry with us for not doing more to assist the agents, while individuals who do not support the activities are angry with us for not doing more to hinder their operations. [1:21:36] Again, I am no way wanting to shift the conversation from the real harm being done to members of our community to the challenges that us police officers face. [1:21:43] We have to acknowledge that the tactics being used by some ICE agents during Operation Metro Surge are reducing the public's trust in local police, making the job of our cops harder and making us all less safe. [1:21:55] Thank you, Chief McCarthy. [1:21:58] Thank you, Chief McCarthy. [1:21:59] Mr. Mubishir has left because he's not taking questions. [1:22:02] So I'm going to ask you to move over so you can have a full seat at the table there. [1:22:08] And we are now going to proceed under the four-minute rule with questions. [1:22:14] I'll give the Chief just a minute to re-seat. [1:22:18] Great. [1:22:29] We will now proceed under the four-minute rule with questions. [1:22:32] I'll begin by recognizing myself for four minutes. [1:22:35] Ms. Patty, I want to start with you. [1:22:37] I am so sorry for what you experienced. [1:22:40] I'm so grateful for the work that you're doing. [1:22:43] I've watched you speak a number of times, and I noticed that you always lift up the experience of those that were with you at the detention center, and I really appreciate that. [1:22:53] I understand that when ICE pulled you over, they also detained your friend who was in the car with you. [1:23:00] Is there anything else you want to share about his experience? [1:23:04] Ms. Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. [1:23:11] My friend, Brandon, who is along with me, he is a half-Mexican ethnicity, has a Hispanic last name. [1:23:22] He, I think the most kind of standout experience that he had in the detention center was he was asked by, or he was taken into another cell by three Homeland Security investigation agents who offered him, like, they offered him a Coke and candy and were wanting to talk about [1:23:54] talk with him, and kind of insinuated through their language, like, you seem to be in some real trouble here and we can help you out. [1:24:01] And then proceeded to offer him money or legal support for any undocumented family members he may have, or, like, legal support if he had any family members who wanted to get into the country. [1:24:21] Um, in exchange for names of other undocumented people that he might know, or names of protest organizers. [1:24:32] Um, there was another Hispanic man in his cell with him who was offered the same deal. [1:24:40] They both said no, um, but that was a pretty, um, wild experience that he had. [1:24:47] Thank you for sharing that. [1:24:48] It's outrageous. [1:24:49] And we've had this happen in our country's history at different times. [1:24:52] And I just think it's very important that we understand what tactics these agents are using. [1:24:57] Mr. Mail, um, you spoke about, you know, how the Department of Homeland Security is, is violating the constitutional rights of people in Minnesota. [1:25:06] Just this week, I played that video of the ICE agents with battering rams, battering down the door of an individual without a judicial warrant. [1:25:19] And I demanded whether any of my Republican colleagues on the other side would defend that behavior, that violation. [1:25:27] Um, I want to ask you about this. [1:25:30] How are the, how the rights are, uh, conferred by the first and fourth amendment of the United States apply to all people, citizen and non-citizen, regardless of immigration status? [1:25:42] And how what you've seen from DHS is violating those rights? [1:25:46] You have about 50 seconds. [1:25:48] Thank you. [1:25:50] I can remember. [1:25:51] Um, so I'll say, you know, Congress has already put strict limits on ICE and Border Patrol's ability to make arrests without warrants. [1:25:58] Um, and I, and that's a really important note here. [1:26:01] Under 8 U.S.C. 135782, two conditions must be met before an agent may conduct a warrantless arrest. [1:26:09] The agent must have a reason to believe that both the individual is in the U.S. in violation of immigration law, [1:26:15] and the individual is likely to escape before a warrant can be obtained for his arrest. [1:26:21] And it's important to note also that reason to believe means constitutionally required probable cause. [1:26:28] And it must be particularized with respect to the person being searched and seized. [1:26:32] And what we are seeing is that federal agents are conducting these arrests without even asking people anything about their community ties or both of these marks. [1:26:41] And they are flouting these congressional requirements, these legal requirements. [1:26:46] Um, and I'll say, even in their own statements, they are misstating the law. [1:26:50] In September 2025, uh, in this post that has not been deleted on DHS's ex account, [1:26:56] um, it states that under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, DHS law enforcement uses reasonable suspicion to make arrests. [1:27:04] And that's just a misstatement of the law, it's probable cause. [1:27:07] Um, and they repeated it in December, um, and said that DHS law enforcement uses reasonable suspicion to make arrests again. [1:27:13] Yeah. [1:27:14] Thank you so much for clarifying that. [1:27:15] My time has expired. [1:27:16] I now recognize Representative Omar for four minutes of questioning. [1:27:19] Thank you, Chayapal. [1:27:24] Um, uh, Ms. Patty, I, as, as a model of law and according to ICE's own policy, ICE could not arrest and detain U.S. citizens. [1:27:34] Um, did they give you a reason for your legal detention? [1:27:39] And do you remember what the actual agency that made the arrest was? [1:27:43] Um, they said when they arrested us that they were, they were arresting us for obstructing, um, a federal, a federal operation, but. [1:27:56] And do you know to this day if you've been charged with anything? [1:27:59] No, to this day I've not been charged with anything. [1:28:02] There were no cars in front of them, we weren't blocking them in, we weren't at an active ICE raid. [1:28:07] Um, they also never identified themselves as ICE. [1:28:11] Um, we didn't, it didn't, they didn't, it didn't say that on their uniforms, so. [1:28:16] Do you recall if you were fully booked? [1:28:19] Um. [1:28:21] Fingerprinted, photos taken? [1:28:22] We were not fingerprinted, our photos were not taken, no. [1:28:26] No. [1:28:27] So just held hostage and then released? [1:28:29] Essentially? [1:28:30] Yeah. [1:28:32] Okay. [1:28:33] And, um, Mr. Mayo, is there any constitutional, um, way in which these arrests are legally possible by ICE and border agents when it comes to legal residents and citizens? [1:28:46] Well, I mean, for, for any arrests, I mean, someone can be arrested for unlawful activity. [1:28:52] But, I mean, what we are seeing is far from, um, far from that. [1:28:56] You know, at these, the sites of, um, some of these, um, some of this activity with observers and protesters. [1:29:03] Um, these are chaotic scenes, but we are seeing, um, uh, actions from, from the government that are escalating, that are violent, um, that are, are not disciplined, that are not, you know, using any rules of, uh, proper rules of engagement. [1:29:17] Um, and, uh, citizens, uh, observers, protesters, uh, Minnesolans are, are rightfully upset about what they're seeing. [1:29:26] Seeing, um, people, um, murdered, they're seeing people who were shot at, they're seeing, uh, people dragged from their homes and from cars, and they're coming out. [1:29:35] Um, and, and, uh, for the most part, um, you know, uh, what we're seeing is escalation from, from DHS forces. [1:29:42] Yeah, thank you. [1:29:43] And, Chief, um, McCarthy, you know, we, in, in Minneapolis, we're seeing, um, arrests being made at gas stations, cars being left behind. [1:29:52] Uh, the mayor testified to one car being left on as the person was detained, rolling into the street. [1:29:59] Um, does that, is that a normal behavior for law enforcement when they make an arrest, um, for the, for them to leave vehicles running or to leave vehicles at the site of the arrest? [1:30:12] Thank you for the question, ma'am. [1:30:13] No. [1:30:14] It is, it is not. [1:30:15] And why is that? [1:30:16] Well, because we are responsible for the welfare and safety of everybody, including the people that we arrest. [1:30:21] And people have a right to be secure in their persons and property. [1:30:26] Part of that is us securing their property and, uh, making sure that, um, it's not subject to another crime, such as theft or a traffic issue. [1:30:36] And do you know any training, uh, that would allow, um, local or federal law enforcement to leave these vehicles where they've been left? [1:30:44] I can only speak to local, uh, or statewide and know that is contrary to our training and policy. [1:30:52] Um, and, uh, Mr. Hussain, um, you, you know, heard the, the testimonies of, um, citizens only, um, holding areas. [1:31:03] You spoke, uh, to the trauma of being a refugee who comes from war turned country. [1:31:09] Um, what, what do you think it is psychologically, this occupation is psychologically doing to people who already hold a lot of trauma? [1:31:17] Uh, thank you for that. [1:31:19] Um, as we know, Somali Americans are about 98% permanent residents or U.S. citizens. [1:31:25] Um, what we are seeing is those U.S. citizens being harassed at work, whether they're driving Uber, whether they're going to work. [1:31:33] We also know that people are afraid to go out because being Somali down means you're at risk of being stopped. [1:31:38] Um, and that is something that the entire community is sharing. [1:31:41] And we're seeing, uh, our businesses now, some of our business owners saying that about 70% of their customers are not returned. [1:31:48] Uh, this is, is a widely impacting our community. [1:31:51] But at the same time, I've also seen the resiliency in my community. [1:31:55] I've seen just last night meeting with young leaders in Cedar Riverside who are standing up, [1:31:59] who are declaring their Americanism and fighting back. [1:32:02] And that is also inspiring. [1:32:04] I saw the same in St. Cloud where these young people and community are waking up to realizing they're learning about their rights. [1:32:10] They're executing their rights and they're standing up. [1:32:12] And for the first time, I think for Minnesotans, we are coming together as a state, as a community. [1:32:17] Renee Good is a symbol of hope, is a symbol of the countless people, uh, that Amelia talked about, [1:32:23] who are out every single day standing up for their neighbors. [1:32:26] Uh, and many people across this country do not know how great Minnesota is. [1:32:31] And my father always says that we came to a cold place, but we found a place with people with warm hearts. [1:32:37] And that is true. [1:32:38] Um, and so we are coming together in this moment in such a big way. [1:32:41] Thank you. [1:32:42] Thank you. [1:32:44] Thank you. [1:32:45] Representative Omar. [1:32:46] And I recognize the Democratic House with, uh, Catherine Clark from Massachusetts. [1:32:50] Correct. [1:32:51] I was put into ankle shackles. [1:33:02] Uh, Ms. Clark. [1:33:17] No, we did not. [1:33:18] Uh, we did not get out of our car. [1:33:20] We were blowing our whistles. [1:33:23] We were doing, we were honking our horn a bit. [1:33:26] Um, so blowing whistles, honking your horn. [1:33:30] Pretty general first amendment low scale activity. [1:33:35] And that caused them to put, um, tear gas through the vent of your car and then take out the windows to remove you. [1:33:46] Is that what they did? [1:33:47] Correct. [1:33:49] Sprayed tear gas into the front windshield vent of the car and then came back, broke the windows without asking us to get out of the car and then took us out of the car. [1:33:59] Thank you. [1:34:00] Thank you for sharing that. [1:34:02] And thank you for being, um, such a spokesperson for people who cannot come and, um, and be here and being their champion. [1:34:13] Um, Mr. Mayell, the, the state of the first amendment here in Minnesota seems to be in crisis. [1:34:20] And part of what we're seeing is we have a pretense right from ice about why they're here. [1:34:27] That is to do immigration enforcement. [1:34:31] But as we are seeing this 93% of the people detained have no violent convictions and 65% have no criminal convictions at all. [1:34:46] So what are, what are we really seeing here? [1:34:49] Is it just, is it simply an attack on first amendment political speech that this administration does not agree with? [1:34:59] I mean, what we are seeing, I mean, it's an unprecedented string of unconstitutional activity, um, that affects the first amendment, the fourth amendment, due process, equal protection. [1:35:08] Um, all of our rights are at stake here and it's affecting all of us. [1:35:13] So, um, you know, um, what their intended purposes for coming here and what they're doing here are, are two very different things. [1:35:21] And I think everybody, uh, is seeing that the world is seeing that. [1:35:25] Um, and, uh, particularly, uh, for protesters and observers and their first amendment rights, you are allowed to, to, to videotape ice. [1:35:34] You are allowed to, uh, tell public officials that you don't like what they're doing. [1:35:38] Um, these, this is, um, uh, fundamental basic, uh, principles of our American democracy that are being challenged at this point. [1:35:46] Thank you. [1:35:48] Uh, Chief McCarthy, um, one, one point of, uh, another point of procedure. [1:35:54] If someone was injured, shot during an interaction with police, isn't it absolutely fundamental to police training that medical attention will be immediately given to that person? [1:36:08] Yes. [1:36:10] Thank you for the question. [1:36:11] And yes, it is our duty to immediately get medical attention for anyone who is injured or saying that they are injured. [1:36:17] At the site of an arrest. [1:36:20] And I, I did want to ask you, uh, briefly about, uh, what DHS is not doing. [1:36:28] We've had 90% of their, um, HSI investigators sent to now be part of this paramilitary ice force. [1:36:40] So they are not doing the cyber security, protecting our energy infrastructure, disrupting fentanyl pipelines, um, human trafficking cases. [1:36:52] What will the impact be for security for people as this ripples through federal government? [1:36:58] Right. [1:36:59] Thank you for that. [1:37:00] There's, there's no question. [1:37:01] There's an opportunity cost here and that we are spending, um, a ridiculous amount of resources and manpower in a state that has a very low percentage of undocumented people. [1:37:13] And so my concern for security and safety is just what you mentioned is that are the very skilled HSI investigators are not on the front lines of our cyber security and our fraud. [1:37:28] They're not engaging in those human trafficking cases that we see all too often at the border. [1:37:33] And so I fear that, uh, progress on a national level will be set back as well as at a state and local level. [1:37:40] Thank you. [1:37:41] Thank you, Whip Clark. [1:37:43] Uh, I now recognize the House Democratic Caucus vice chair, uh, and a member of the Judiciary Committee, um, Representative Ted Lieu from California. [1:37:52] Thank you, Congress members Diapel and Omar for putting together this important hearing. [1:37:57] I have some questions for Mr. Mayel. [1:37:59] The first amendment to the United States Constitution gives the American people the right to peacefully observe ice operations. [1:38:08] Correct? [1:38:09] Thank you for your question. [1:38:10] Yes, that's right. [1:38:11] The first amendment to the United States Constitution gives the American people the right to photograph and film ice operations. [1:38:18] Correct? [1:38:19] That's correct. [1:38:20] The first amendment to the United States Constitution gives the American people the right to peacefully live stream ice operations. [1:38:28] Correct? [1:38:29] That's correct. [1:38:30] I want to thank the people of Minnesota, the American people, for exercising their constitutional [1:38:35] rights. [1:38:36] The Trump administration has sent a paramilitary force that is poorly trained to cowardly wear [1:38:42] masks to states across America, including Minnesota, to try to harass, intimidate, scare [1:38:50] the people. [1:38:51] And they want you to bend the knee and to yield, and the people of Minnesota said, hell [1:38:56] no. [1:38:57] We are not doing that. [1:38:59] Every time ICE and Border Patrol engage in what appear to be abusive operations, more [1:39:09] Minnesotans show up. [1:39:11] Every time ICE and Border Patrol engage in what appear to be violations of federal law, more [1:39:16] Minnesotans show up. [1:39:19] Many of us here were at a meeting with the community leaders last night who said over [1:39:22] 20,000 Minnesotans have now been trained as legal observers. [1:39:26] And so, Ms. Maia, I want to ask you this question. [1:39:29] When people photograph and film and livestream ICE, that tends to make them more accountable [1:39:36] because they're being watched, correct? [1:39:38] That's correct. [1:39:39] And even more important, people are gathering and preserving evidence that can be used in [1:39:45] future cases. [1:39:46] Is that correct? [1:39:48] That's right. [1:39:49] It protects the right to photograph and video police conduct, and because it's the right [1:39:53] to gather information about what public officials do on public property, and because it's about [1:39:58] the right to record matters of public interest, which is being protected. [1:40:02] I simply want to note that midterm elections are in less than a year. [1:40:08] There will be new presidential elections in less than three years. [1:40:13] The statute of limitations for violations of federal law is five years. [1:40:18] And while this administration may not hold anyone accountable, I guarantee you a future [1:40:24] administration will. [1:40:26] So thank you for not bending the knee, not yielding, and for photographing, witnessing, [1:40:33] livestreaming ICE, and showing what ICE and Border Patrol are doing so American people [1:40:39] can see this. [1:40:41] And now I want to just give some words of hope, and I fully understand what I'm about [1:40:45] to say is of little comfort to people who have already been unlawfully detained, abused, [1:40:51] and injured by ICE and Border Patrol. [1:40:54] But you need to know the Trump administration has already lost. [1:41:00] Abraham Lincoln said public sentiment is everything. [1:41:04] With it, nothing can fail. [1:41:06] Without it, nothing can succeed. [1:41:07] The Trump administration has lost the public's sentiment on ICE and Border Patrol and immigration. [1:41:15] Multiple polls confirmed this. [1:41:17] According to a Navigator poll recently put out, 57 percent of American people now view ICE [1:41:23] unfavorably, only 37 percent support, 20 points underwater. [1:41:29] A CNN poll came out showing that 51 percent of American people believe ICE operations are [1:41:34] making cities less safe. [1:41:36] Only 31 percent believe ICE is making cities more safe, 20 points underwater. [1:41:41] And an AP poll came out showing 61 percent of American people now disapprove of Trump's immigration [1:41:48] policies. [1:41:49] Only 38 percent approve, 23 points underwater. [1:41:54] And all of us here are here today to let the people of Minnesota know that you are not alone, [1:42:02] that the Constitution protects you, and you are on the right side of history. [1:42:07] I yield that. [1:42:12] Thank you, Representative Liu. [1:42:13] I'd now like to go to members of the Minnesota delegation. [1:42:17] We'll start with ranking member of the Agriculture Committee, Angie Craig. [1:42:21] First and foremost, thank you to the witnesses for being here this morning. [1:42:33] And just extraordinarily grateful for the number of colleagues who have joined us in support in [1:42:39] Minnesota today. [1:42:40] You know, in a matter of weeks, the Trump administration has turned not only the Twin Cities, but communities [1:42:46] across Minnesota upside down. [1:42:50] President Trump and Secretary Noem's cruel and illegal immigration operations got Renee [1:42:55] Good killed last week in Minneapolis. [1:42:59] But this ICE activity is not confined to the Twin Cities. [1:43:04] We learned in my district of one of the first incidents through a video that circulated on [1:43:08] the Internet of a father being pulled from his car in Northfield, Minnesota, caught on tape [1:43:15] by his distraught son. [1:43:17] ICE used excessive force, smashing the car window, and dragging the man across the ground [1:43:22] in close vicinity of a school and church. [1:43:26] Yesterday, we heard of reports of additional ICE raids in Shakopee and Cottage Grove, and just [1:43:31] a few days ago in Invergrove Heights. [1:43:34] Christina Rank, a special education teacher in my district, a U.S. citizen, had her car window [1:43:40] smashed in by ICE in her school parking lot. [1:43:44] She was detained for 12 hours before being released. [1:43:48] These are just some of the many horror stories I'm hearing from constituents, local leaders, [1:43:54] law enforcement agencies, and friends. [1:43:57] This is not who we are, America. [1:44:00] Schools, places of worship, and daycare should be safe spaces for immigrants and citizens alike. [1:44:07] And we all should support legislation in Congress to make sure that they are not performing [1:44:13] any duties near these sensitive locations. [1:44:17] And by the way, every single ICE officer or agent should wear a body camera, just like [1:44:23] local law enforcement is forced to do. [1:44:27] Parents, teachers, and students being targeted by ICE are not criminals. [1:44:32] But this administration isn't looking for criminals. [1:44:36] They are looking for black and brown neighbors. [1:44:39] And the Supreme Court of the United States is complicit. [1:44:44] President Trump and his administration have tried to sell the narrative that Operation Metro [1:44:48] Surge is intended to fight the fraud in our state and keep our communities safe. [1:44:53] But we know that isn't true. [1:44:56] So let's just call it what it is. [1:44:58] Political retribution, and it is endangering Minnesotans and tearing families apart. [1:45:04] Last weekend, I joined my colleagues, Representative Ilhan Omar and Kelly Morrison, in attempting [1:45:09] a congressional oversight visit to the Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis. [1:45:14] We were turned away by ICE officials despite a federal court case that I was holding a physical [1:45:20] copy of in my hand. [1:45:23] Their response was, we don't care. [1:45:28] Make no mistake, we are challenging this latest Trump administration lawless action in [1:45:33] court. [1:45:35] VHS Secretary Kristi Noem, a serial liar, an accomplice to President Trump, is a threat [1:45:42] to every single Minnesotan. [1:45:43] And that's why the people on this dais today, many of us are leading articles of impeachment [1:45:50] against her. [1:45:51] This administration isn't using the law. [1:45:57] They're going outside the law. [1:45:59] And look, if ICE agents want to point out that the woman who was killed, Renee Good, and [1:46:05] her partner, Becca Good, are lesbians, to ICE, I say this state elects lesbians to the State [1:46:13] House, the State Senate, and to Congress from Republican districts. [1:46:19] This is not who we are in Minnesota. [1:46:22] I'm sorry I don't have much time, but Chief, you are from my district. [1:46:27] We are so proud to have you here today. [1:46:30] Your leadership is extraordinary. [1:46:32] Tell us what tactics they are using that you see them using that we would never use in [1:46:38] local law enforcement. [1:46:39] Thank you, ma'am, for that question. [1:46:43] The first and most obvious is hiding your identity, masking, not wearing a nameplate, and [1:46:49] not giving name and badge number when asked to do so. [1:46:54] From the videos I've seen, some members of ICE don't have any training or access to intermediate [1:47:01] force weapons, where they are moving right from talking to pointing guns at people who [1:47:09] are not armed. [1:47:11] We're seeing just the poor tactics of how they present themselves with items in their hands [1:47:18] that are non-essential, to the way that they speak to the people that they deal with. [1:47:23] If any law enforcement officer in Minnesota engaged in those tactics, they would be held [1:47:29] accountable both at their local level and at the state level. [1:47:33] Chief, thank you. [1:47:34] And with that, I yield that. [1:47:36] Thank you, Representative Craig. [1:47:37] Now, I'd like to recognize Representative Morrison, also from the state of Minneapolis, Minnesota. [1:47:49] Thank you, Chair Jayapal, and gratitude to my colleagues who have traveled from all over [1:47:54] these United States to bear witness to what is happening in Minnesota. [1:47:59] I want to express my deep gratitude to the witnesses for sharing your testimony. [1:48:05] It's been an incredibly difficult time for Minnesota, and especially perilous for Minnesota's [1:48:12] immigrant communities and communities of color. [1:48:16] We are all grieving the loss of Renee Goode, a mother, a wife, a Minnesotan, a US citizen. [1:48:23] Over the last 10 days, this tragedy has rocked our country to its core. [1:48:30] In pursuit of a perceived political win and a desperate distraction, the Trump administration [1:48:36] and Kristi Noem have unleashed an unprecedented, reckless operation. [1:48:41] The sheer number of ICE agents terrorizing our community in their homes, on our streets, in our [1:48:46] schools, in our places of worship, grocery stores, and even our hospitals is unacceptable. [1:48:53] They're using increasingly aggressive, excessive, and lethal force against Minnesotans, [1:48:59] undermining public safety and violating fundamental rights. [1:49:04] We've repeatedly requested that the administration increase transparency and communicate with state [1:49:11] and local officials for the safety of the community. [1:49:14] But time and time again, the administration's response has made it abundantly clear that public [1:49:20] safety is not their priority. [1:49:22] When my colleagues and I visited the Whipple Detention Center to exercise our legal right and constitutional [1:49:29] duty of congressional oversight, we were unlawfully denied access. [1:49:35] In the wake of Renee Goode's killing, state officials at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension expected [1:49:40] the same collaboration with federal officials that they experienced following similar tragedies [1:49:46] like the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and the assassination of Speaker Melissa [1:49:52] Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. [1:49:55] And the FBI has shut them out, and now pressure from Trump's DOJ to pursue Renee Goode's widow [1:50:02] has triggered a mass exodus in the U.S. Attorney's Office. [1:50:07] The administration's pattern of behavior flies in the face of the values foundational to our [1:50:13] democracy and to our country. [1:50:15] Federal agents swore an oath to our Constitution and should be above reproach, and the checks and [1:50:22] balances of our co-equal branches of government are indispensable to upholding the freedoms guaranteed [1:50:28] by our Constitution. [1:50:31] As a physician, I have a sacred duty to care for my patients and uphold my oath to do no harm. [1:50:39] So it was especially outrageous and painful to see that in the aftermath of the shooting, [1:50:44] Kristi Noem's ICE agents denied Renee Goode access to available medical care. [1:50:50] It's abhorrent to hear the many stories that have emerged. [1:50:55] Like the story of the Minnesota family that had to have three of their six children hospitalized [1:51:01] after ICE agents threw flashbangs and tear gas. [1:51:05] Their six-month-old infant stopped breathing and lost consciousness. [1:51:11] The stories that are emerging on a daily basis are indefensible, and the cruelty of the Trump [1:51:16] administration's response to this ongoing tragedy is truly shocking. [1:51:22] Where is our humanity? [1:51:25] This is not what the United States of America should stand for. [1:51:29] I'm here in the Minnesota State Capitol to send a clear message to those endangering our [1:51:33] community. [1:51:34] Enough is enough. [1:51:36] This is beyond politics. [1:51:37] This is beyond partisanship. [1:51:40] I think of Speaker Melissa Hortman every day, especially during these challenging times. [1:51:46] And she would say that this is a moment when we have to take off our red jerseys and take [1:51:51] off our blue jerseys and put on our Minnesota jerseys. [1:51:55] We have to come together to protect our state and its people. [1:52:00] So I extend an urgent plea to Minnesota's congressional Republicans to finally side with the people [1:52:06] of Minnesota, stand up to this president, protect our communities, and restore peace. [1:52:13] We have a congressional responsibility and a moral obligation to see that justice is served [1:52:18] and our community is protected. [1:52:22] I see that my time was. [1:52:30] But how beautifully it expired. [1:52:33] Thank you, Representative Morrison. [1:52:36] I'd now like to recognize the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Representative [1:52:40] Espaiat from New York. [1:52:43] Thank you, Congresswoman Yaya Paul. [1:52:46] I want to thank Congressmembers Omar, Greg, and Morrison from the state of Minnesota. [1:52:53] Thank you for hosting this hearing. [1:52:56] ICE shows up in cities across the country, uninvited, masked, anonymous. [1:53:07] No first name, no last name, no shield number. [1:53:11] ICE summarily denies people their fundamental rights, stopping, cuffing them, arresting them, [1:53:20] detaining them, and deporting them. [1:53:23] Green card holders, TPS recipients, DACA recipients, farm workers, and even U.S. citizens with no criminal [1:53:32] record. [1:53:33] ICE illegally denies us, members of Congress, the right to exercise our oversight powers by [1:53:42] denying access to detention centers. [1:53:44] ICE has shifted to community-based arrests in public places and work sites by 255%. [1:53:52] ICE violates sensitive locations, places of worship, schools and hospitals. [1:53:59] ICE engages in deadly force, shooting and killing Americans, such as the tragic shooting of Rene [1:54:08] Good at point-blank range. [1:54:10] ICE is an aggressive, violent weapon. [1:54:15] In fact, it has turned to be a deadly weapon. [1:54:19] ICE must be dismantled. [1:54:23] So my question to each one, a yes or no question, Mr. Mayo, do you think ICE should be dismantled, [1:54:30] yes or no? [1:54:34] I think ICE needs to leave Minnesota immediately, and I think that Congress needs to be able [1:54:39] to not continue to give them a blank check to continue to increase their size, and there [1:54:43] needs to be laws that put transparency, accountability, and significant changes to the way they operate. [1:54:49] Ms. Patty, do you think ICE should be dismantled? [1:54:52] Yes. [1:54:53] Chief McCarthy, do you think ICE should be dismantled? [1:54:56] What he said. [1:54:58] Ms. Gonzalez-Avalos, do you think ICE should be dismantled? [1:55:02] We need safety and security, and that's not what ICE does. [1:55:06] Mr. Hussein, do you think ICE should be dismantled? [1:55:08] Yes. [1:55:11] ICE must be immediately dismantled, and sensitive measures must be taken up, like unmasking agents, [1:55:20] respecting sensitive locations, implementing a body camera program, adhering to comprehensive [1:55:26] training that restricts deadly force and ensures mental fitness, enhances background check, and [1:55:36] improving hiring standards. [1:55:39] But it is a deadly weapon. [1:55:43] The testimonies that we've heard here today is that ICE has become violent and deadly across [1:55:52] America. [1:55:53] Ms. Gonzalez, I want to ask you, because I heard from some of my colleagues that were asked, [1:55:59] they have gone after the Somalian community here. [1:56:03] Many in the Somalian community, as we heard testimony today, are already U.S. citizens, and [1:56:10] that a good number of the people arrested and on their way to deportation are Latino men. [1:56:20] So I want to know if you have any numbers to share with us, or what is the status of that? [1:56:25] We don't have precise numbers, because the traditional ways in which we could do visitation, in which [1:56:35] our Congress women and women from the state could help us find data, are not longer available. [1:56:43] But what we see on the ground is that ICE officers choose ethnic corridors where Latino and Somali [1:56:51] communities live together. [1:56:52] They have also unlawfully arrest Native Americans, indigenous, Lakota, Lakdakota, and Anishinaabes, [1:57:01] citizens of this, of Minnesota Makoke. [1:57:05] And the racial profiling that goes onto that has not been an exception of the power that [1:57:12] they use on the ground. [1:57:14] We believe that the vast majority of the people that they have attained to this day are indeed [1:57:21] Latinos. [1:57:22] But it's predominantly men, but they have arrested women, they have arrested children. [1:57:28] And some of the women that they have arrested are also pregnant. [1:57:34] Thank you so much. [1:57:35] Thank you. [1:57:36] Thank you. [1:57:37] Thank you, Representative Espaillat. [1:57:38] I'm now going to go to members of the House Judiciary Committee. [1:57:42] And we're going to start with Representative Hank Johnson from Georgia. [1:57:46] Thank you, Representative Jayapal. [1:57:50] And I thank you and Representative Omar for holding this very important hearing. [1:57:55] And I want to thank all of the people for coming out today. [1:57:58] I want to thank our panelists for their testimony. [1:58:00] I am in awe of the courage, the unity, the fortitude to resist, and the warmth of the hearts [1:58:09] of the people of Minnesota. [1:58:11] You set an example for the nation and the world. [1:58:16] Mr. Maial, I want to talk a little bit about how the United States Supreme Court laid foundation [1:58:25] for what is happening in Minnesota with respect to Fourth Amendment issues. [1:58:33] When it ruled on the shadow docket, Norm v. Vasquez Perdomo, an opinion racket which held [1:58:51] that apparent ethnicity could be a relevant factor in federal agent's decision to stop and question [1:59:01] someone about their status. [1:59:07] How did that lay the predicate for what's going on in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota right now? [1:59:16] Thank you. [1:59:17] Thank you for the question. [1:59:18] And I just also want to say a quick thank you to I know everyone who has come out here. [1:59:23] I know you all are showing up at detention sites, at Know Your Rights presentations, [1:59:30] and at hearings with immigration courts. [1:59:32] And I thank you for all of your courage and all you are doing. [1:59:35] It really is impactful and we see it all. [1:59:38] The Perdomo case, thank you for bringing that up. [1:59:41] I know a lot has been made of this Justice Kavanaugh's concurring opinion. [1:59:45] It's important to note that this was on a shadow docket. [1:59:48] It was a temporary order pausing a lower court injunction. [1:59:51] It does not create new precedent or overturn prior cases limiting racial profiling. [1:59:57] The decision is with no legal rationale from the majority of the court. [2:00:01] And that constitutional protections remain in place even though this decision should be, this opinion should be criticized for what it was projecting. [2:00:11] Well, I mean, it seems like it opened the flit gates for racial profiling in this town. [2:00:20] Isn't that correct? [2:00:21] Well, so, you know, I would say that the opinion certainly deserves to be criticized. [2:00:26] And there was a great deal of racial time you issue a shadow docket decision and an opinion on the merits of the case before it's actually been briefed and argued before the court. [2:00:40] And you laid down such a principle like Kavanaugh laid down. [2:00:47] It has given rise to what we call Kavanaugh stops and it's taken place not just in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, but it's starting to take place around the country. [2:01:00] Now, of course, the case arose in California, Los Angeles. [2:01:06] But let me let me move on from there. [2:01:09] These Kavanaugh stops have not been limited to just jacking up Somali looking people. [2:01:16] It's gotten much broader than that. [2:01:20] Would you comment, Chief McCarthy? [2:01:22] I'm afraid I can't. [2:01:25] I've never heard that that statement before. [2:01:28] But in Minnesota, all law enforcement officers in Minnesota are prohibited from using race as a determining factor. [2:01:36] For any sort of stop or detaining someone. [2:01:41] Thank you. [2:01:42] I yield back. [2:01:43] Thank you, Mr. Johnson. [2:01:44] I'm now going to go to members of the House Judiciary and the Immigration Subcommittee, the members that serve with me on the subcommittee. [2:01:51] And many have been at every hearing we've done. [2:01:54] We'll start with Representative Mary Gay Scanlon from Pennsylvania. [2:01:59] Look, nine days ago, the nation was horrified to see, almost in real time, the shooting death of Renee Good, 37-year-old mom, a U.S. citizen, at the hands of federal agents. [2:02:21] Equally horrifying was that before the woman's identity was even known, before the facts were known, the Trump White House pronounced that the woman was a domestic terrorist and that her killing was justified. [2:02:33] This wasn't an isolated incident for the past year. [2:02:38] The administration has engaged in a reckless and escalating deportation and propaganda campaign under the pretext of making communities safer. [2:02:47] We've seen this administration trampling fundamental human rights, civil rights, due process, and terrorizing, as this community well knows, terrorizing communities. [2:02:57] But until the shooting of Renee Good, many people weren't paying attention across the country. [2:03:03] But when a federal officer, masked, shoots a 37-year-old mom driving a Honda Pilot with stuffies in the glove compartment and the family dog in the damn back seat, it caught the nation's attention, it caught the world's attention. [2:03:19] My colleagues and I are here in Minneapolis because it's important for all Americans to know the facts, to understand the gravity of what's happening here, and why we should all be concerned. [2:03:32] The White House using federal agencies and taxpayer dollars is spreading division and despair, bringing madness to main streets, sparking conflict, and then pouring gasoline on the fire. [2:03:45] And while today it's Minnesota, tomorrow it could be any other city or state or town that this administration decides to target. [2:03:54] It's clear at this moment that every American's rights are at stake. [2:03:59] So I want to thank the local officials, the community members who've met with us and shared their testimony, the reporters who've been out on the street, the legal observers who've been out on the street. [2:04:10] We have heard and read shocking stories about the use of excessive force, people detained for hours with no cause, bystanders and legal observers being swept into this. [2:04:23] We heard about the family with six kids in the car coming home from a basketball game and ice lobs tear gas at them, resulting in an infant stopping breathing. [2:04:37] But the abuse of fundamental human and civil rights is breathtaking. [2:04:42] I did want to ask our ACLU colleague here, we're hearing about legal observers and a lot of people don't know what that means and why that's important. [2:04:52] Can you just tell us a little bit about who legal observers are and what they're doing and why they're legal? [2:04:57] Absolutely. And thank you very much for the question. [2:05:00] Again, it's about documenting and photographing and videoing police conduct. [2:05:06] People are going out, they're being trained on the basic fundamental rights as a constitutional observer. [2:05:12] They are being trained about what the limits of the First Amendment are and not to cross into unlawful activity. [2:05:20] And they are documenting what is in real time a very widespread, unconstitutional spread of activity and documenting things that can be used for future litigation, that can be used for public opinion and to hold them accountable. [2:05:37] And I would say just by videotaping, just by being present, just by bearing witness, they are holding them accountable. [2:05:45] And we know from a prior hearing in Chicago just how important this is because our federal authorities are lying to the American people. [2:05:54] They're lying to the courts. [2:05:56] And when we've had evidence to present, we've been able to prove in court that these are lies and unjustified. [2:06:03] Thank you so much for your testimony. [2:06:06] Thank you, Representative Scanlon. [2:06:08] Let me go now to another member of Judiciary and Immigration Subcommittee, Becca Ballant from Vermont. [2:06:14] Good morning. [2:06:20] I want to start by saying what so many of you have said. [2:06:23] This is not about immigration enforcement. [2:06:25] This is about terror. [2:06:28] This is about retribution. [2:06:30] This is about punishment. [2:06:31] This is about vindictiveness. [2:06:33] This is about giving a pretext to incite the Insurrection Act. [2:06:39] And those of us who have been saying it have been accused of being using hyperbole. [2:06:45] It's not hyperbole. [2:06:47] All you have to do is watch what the president is saying and doing. [2:06:51] And so I want to just start by saying as well that we've heard from Minnesotans who have said, we are so glad that you're here, that we need Americans to know what is happening. [2:07:03] And I want to say you are giving us inspiration. [2:07:07] You are on the front lines of what's happening. [2:07:09] And you're standing up in the way that they did in L.A. and in Chicago and in other communities across this nation. [2:07:15] And it is critically important when the one of the senators from Minnesota says that you are the center of America's heartbreak right now. [2:07:26] You are also the center of America's courage. [2:07:29] And this is something that I need. [2:07:33] I need Americans to understand. [2:07:35] We have to be, each and every one of us, more courageous in this moment. [2:07:39] There are people right now in Minnesota and all of you who have testified today who are putting your lives in danger and at risk by speaking out. [2:07:47] And all of the people who are witnessing and showing up and documenting. [2:07:51] They are doing this not just for Minnesotans. [2:07:54] They're doing it for all of us. [2:07:55] They are standing up for all of our rights. [2:07:57] So I'm going to ask today that Americans who are watching this understand that you need to dig deeper. [2:08:04] All of us. [2:08:05] It's on all of us to protect this democracy and this constitution. [2:08:09] I also want to say as a gay woman, I have not cried yet over Renee Good because I know if I do, I'm not going to stop. [2:08:17] And I want to say to gay people across this country and trans people across this country, your lives are not worth less. [2:08:24] And to immigrants, your lives are not worth less. [2:08:26] And people of color, your lives are not worth less. [2:08:29] No matter what your government is telling you. [2:08:32] And I know my colleagues, many of you know, I call myself a scrappy little dyke for a reason. [2:08:38] I'm not going to be intimidated. [2:08:40] I'm not. [2:08:41] I'm not going to keep any of us quiet. [2:08:44] And represent districts. [2:08:46] And I can hear from Vermonters this morning, texting me, calling me saying, thank you. [2:08:52] Thank you. [2:08:53] Vermont is standing with Minnesota. [2:08:54] And I know that's true for so many of us here. [2:08:57] So look, I think I want to go back to something that Mr. Mayel went over because I think there's so much misinformation about what it is that we can do as Americans. [2:09:08] Mr. Mayel, are people allowed to tell immigration officers that they don't agree with what they're doing? [2:09:14] Yes, you're allowed to do that. [2:09:18] Is it legal to blow whistles and honk horns to alert people of ICE's presence in your neighborhood? [2:09:26] Yes, it's legal to blow a whistle and it's legal to honk a horn. [2:09:29] Is it legal to peacefully record ICE officers in public? [2:09:33] Absolutely. [2:09:34] And what about following at a safe distance ICE convoys and reporting on where they are? [2:09:42] Is that legal? [2:09:43] If you're obeying traffic laws and not breaking and doing any unlawful conduct, it's legal to be on a public road driving your car. [2:09:50] So they are trying to tell us that we are not allowed to exercise our First Amendment rights. [2:09:55] Yes. [2:09:56] And they have given up the game here. [2:09:58] What they've said is people are not being respectful enough towards law enforcement. [2:10:03] And by that they mean they don't want us to be allowed to dissent. [2:10:06] And I just want to say again, I'm so impressed by Minnesota. [2:10:09] You have trained tens of thousands of constitutional witnesses here and that's what we have to do across this country. [2:10:15] Yes. [2:10:16] And I yield that. [2:10:17] Yes. [2:10:22] Thank you, Representative Ballant. [2:10:23] Next, we're going to go to another member of the Judiciary and Immigration Subcommittee and somebody who is very important to organizing our hearing in the state of Illinois in similar circumstances. [2:10:34] Representative Chuy Garcia from Illinois. [2:10:36] Thank you, Ranking Member Jayapal and Representative Omar for organizing this really important hearing. [2:10:48] And thank you, Minnesota, for standing up for the belief that all of us are created equal in this year that we celebrate 250 years of our country with that promise. [2:11:02] Because what we're seeing in Minnesota today is a community defending and protecting itself from an authoritarian takeover that's spreading violence and chaos in the streets. [2:11:15] But by now, none of this is new. [2:11:19] The federal government lawlessly invaded Chicago last year, sowing terror. [2:11:26] And in my district was the epicenter of their campaign of terror across the Chicagoland area. [2:11:37] It was the same pattern that we're seeing here. [2:11:41] Flooding the streets with armed, masked goons who kidnap and assault our neighbors with impunity. [2:11:48] ICE agents murdered Silverio Villegas Gonzalez after he dropped his kids off at school and shot Marimar Martinez, a teacher, without justification, as the cowards in the White House and at DHS lied over and over again. [2:12:11] This is not a coincidence. [2:12:12] This is their playbook. [2:12:14] Invade our cities, escalate violence against our neighbors and incite our communities to justify brutality. [2:12:25] But here's what became clear in Chicago and what's become clear in the Twin Cities. [2:12:32] Our communities are stronger and braver than the sadistic criminals that they have unleashed on us. [2:12:41] In Chicago, our longstanding coalition of community groups has mobilized to protect our residents and to make sure that they know their rights. [2:12:51] You're doing that right here. [2:12:53] And we've seen a lot of that organizing and mobilizing right here. [2:12:58] No matter how much Trump and his cronies lie, rapid response networks keep our communities safe. [2:13:05] They represent the strength and resilience of our people and in the face of government brutality. [2:13:12] Thank you for protecting my two grandchildren in Minneapolis, my son and his daughter and all of their neighbors. [2:13:20] Ms. Gonzalez Avalos, thank you for being here today. [2:13:23] Did you follow the events in Chicago last year? [2:13:29] The Congressional hearing in Chicago? [2:13:31] No, the occupation of ICE and CBP. [2:13:34] Yes, yes. [2:13:35] Did you ever think that that would happen here? [2:13:38] That was one of my worst fears, yes. [2:13:41] Did you begin to prepare for the possibility that this could happen here? [2:13:46] Yes, sir. [2:13:47] Do you feel a sense of strength and bonding with the Somali community, with the Eritrean community, with all of the immigrant communities here? [2:13:58] 100%. [2:13:59] They're our siblings. [2:14:00] And do you feel like Minnesota is standing with you? [2:14:04] 100%. [2:14:06] Are you stronger today than you were last year when all of this terror began? [2:14:11] Yes, sir. [2:14:12] And I think that is what we want America to see, to witness, and to feel that it's going to take an effort by each and every one of us, the humble, the meek, the shy, to come out and to exemplify what our nation and the promise of equality is all about. [2:14:34] And that's why we stand with Minnesota today here in the Twin Cities. [2:14:39] Thank you so much. [2:14:40] Thank you. [2:14:44] Representative Garcia will now go to another member of the Judiciary and Immigration Subcommittee, Representative Jasmine Crockett from Texas. [2:14:51] Thank you so much, Madam Ranker, and thank you so much to our amazing colleague, our amazingly strong colleague. [2:15:02] I've heard so much, and I have prepared remarks, and if you know anything about me, you never know where I'm going. [2:15:08] And frankly, I don't either because I have already cried this morning. [2:15:12] And, you know, so I'll just start here. [2:15:16] As a civil rights lawyer, I'm incensed. [2:15:19] As an American, I'm embarrassed. [2:15:21] As a human, I'm infuriated. [2:15:23] And as a member of Congress, I am immovable in my pursuit of accountability. [2:15:28] You see, right now, people want to pretend as if this is right or left, but I'm here to tell you that this is about right or wrong. [2:15:35] And it is very sad that the only people that are sitting here are members of the Democratic side. [2:15:41] So I guess we just want to stand on the side of right for once. [2:15:45] We will be associated with being right instead of left. [2:15:48] Because my question to any of you, and I just go down the line and ask you, is it right or wrong to arrest someone because of the color of their skin? [2:15:58] Absolutely not. [2:16:00] Is it right or wrong to arrest somebody because of their accent? [2:16:03] Wrong. [2:16:04] Is it right or wrong to arrest somebody because they were exercising their constitutional rights? [2:16:09] It is wrong. [2:16:10] Is it right or wrong to arrest somebody because they simply disagree with you? [2:16:15] It's wrong. [2:16:16] All right. [2:16:17] So it seems like y'all all went to elementary school and y'all can tell right from wrong. [2:16:21] I'm not really sure what is going on with ICE right now, but I can tell you, and as we heard earlier, this is pure racism. [2:16:30] I don't know why we want to tinker around with it and pretend as if it's something other than what it is. [2:16:35] I like to call a thing a thing. [2:16:37] And he has told us time and time again who he was when he talked about certain people being from certain shithole countries. [2:16:43] Those are his words. [2:16:44] Only reason I'm cussing in this moment. [2:16:46] When he said things like they are eating the cats and dogs, we knew exactly what we were getting and some people are saying I don't know how we got here, but I do. [2:16:57] Because we know that dehumanizing, I believe that you said something to the effect of cruelty and humiliation are the point. [2:17:07] That's what you said, Miss Patty. [2:17:09] Because when we look at other places, say places that did things like, oh, you know, go door to door looking for people as they had to hide out, say in an attic. [2:17:21] Does that sound familiar to anybody? [2:17:23] Or the images that I have seen of people being attacked by law enforcement, whether we're talking about dogs or fire hoses, it seems very reminiscent of something that we have seen before in this country. [2:17:38] And then people get offended and try to say I'm too black. [2:17:42] But the reality is that y'all never let the fact that I am black go. [2:17:46] So I'm going to be clear about one thing. [2:17:48] I know my good black history. [2:17:50] And so when I look and I say, and I will say it loud and proud because the DH secretary had a few choice words for me, but this looks like modern day slave patrols. [2:18:00] And they have been sanctioned by this Supreme Court. [2:18:05] Whoever thought we would live in a country that progress looks like having a Supreme Court that says, yes, it is okay to body or to listen to their accent and give permission to grab them. [2:18:18] The last time that I checked ice is only supposed to be doing immigration enforcement. [2:18:22] And right now we have a record number of U.S. citizens that have not only been arrested, but as we saw with Renee, that have been killed, that have been maimed, that have been bullied, that have been brutalized, that have been unlawfully arrested. [2:18:37] Y'all we are living with an abuser right now. [2:18:42] That is who Trump and his administration is. [2:18:46] And frankly, I think we all have a little bit of PTSD. [2:18:49] But if you know anything about a domestic abuser, the one thing about them that you need to know is that they are some of the biggest cowards that you will ever find. [2:18:57] What they can't stand is when you actually fight back. [2:19:01] And so thank you so much for everybody in Minnesota. [2:19:05] But it is time for our entire country to stand together. [2:19:09] Because if you don't recognize that we are all in the same sinking ship, whether you are black, white, Latino, African, whoever you are, the reality is that we have an administration that has decided that they are going to ignore our constitutional rights and we will not stand for it. [2:19:26] Otherwise, our democracy will fall. [2:19:29] So I just got this to say. [2:19:30] Thank you. [2:19:31] Thank you, Representative Crockett. [2:19:32] We've got some people that have got to make some planes. [2:19:35] So thank you so much. [2:19:45] Thank you, Representative Crockett. [2:19:48] I would now like to recognize Representative Talib from Michigan. [2:19:52] Thank you so much to the Twin Cities and the state just for welcoming us and allowing us to come here and have your back, because we do. [2:19:59] I don't want you to think that everyone in the United States Congress and the Senate agrees to what is happening to all of you and your families and your neighborhoods and your communities. [2:20:07] You all deserve to be safe, no matter your ethnic background, your faith background, your sexual orientation, where you live or any of that. [2:20:14] But it is shameful. [2:20:16] You know, I come from the most beautiful blackest city in the country, the city of Detroit, where we birthed movements. [2:20:21] But today I am seeing a movement being built right here in Twin Cities. [2:20:25] And it is reminding us that our government will not save us. [2:20:29] It is only us. [2:20:30] We've been taught through history of that. [2:20:34] You see our corrupt Supreme Court literally enabling, emboldening the fact that they can now go around and racially profile and target people based on what they look like and where they work. [2:20:44] I do want to share this and ask some of the directors. [2:20:49] DHSU's neo-Nazi anthem for recruitment after the fatal Minneapolis ICE shooting. [2:20:54] This is from The Intercept. [2:20:55] And the federal government is openly embracing white nationalists online content, including in the recruitment post after ICE agent Jonathan Ross, I'm going to say his name, killed Renee Good. [2:21:09] But in this, it says less than two days after ICE shot Renee. [2:21:15] During the controversial, of course, what happened with Department of Homeland Security's official, DHS, Homeland Security's official Instagram, I don't know if you all know this, made a recruitment post. [2:21:26] We have, we'll have our home again. [2:21:34] Attaching a song, say, a song, same name by, um, Pine Tree Riots. [2:21:39] It's popularized in neo-Nazi spaces. [2:21:42] The track features lines about reclaiming our home by, quote, blood or sweat language often used in white nationals calls for a race war. [2:21:53] Two days after the killing, they use images like this. [2:21:59] You can't see this to the directors. [2:22:02] I'm going to ask you, it says invasion here. [2:22:05] It says America needs you to join ICE now. [2:22:08] Look at this image. [2:22:09] Who do you think they're trying? [2:22:11] How about Director Mayhel, Gonzales, Avalos, and Director Hussain. [2:22:15] Who do you think they're trying to recruit for ICE right now? [2:22:18] White supremacists. [2:22:21] Okay. [2:22:22] How about you, Director Mayhel? [2:22:23] What do you think this evokes? [2:22:24] Who do you think wants to join this? [2:22:26] What does this mean? [2:22:27] I mean, it's absolutely terrifying, right? [2:22:29] The accountability, the training, who is coming towards that? [2:22:32] Who's going to want to join that? [2:22:34] And I think it is an absolute product of the $170 billion that they are looking to spend and fill and use. [2:22:41] And as they ask for more money now, there really needs to be restrictions on how all of this is done. [2:22:49] We'll have a home again. [2:22:51] Like, this is, Patty, look at this. [2:22:53] We'll have our home again. [2:22:55] What does that evoke in you when you see this? [2:22:58] It literally, when I see it as a Muslima, as a Palestinian, as a child of immigrants, I see that this is something that is evoking, like, I'm not welcome here. [2:23:11] It is very clear what is intentionally happening here. [2:23:15] And I think I want my colleagues to know this. [2:23:17] In southwest Detroit, where I was born and raised, we've been complaining about ICE since 2010, even since its inception. [2:23:25] The fact that we had passed policies to tell them not to do ICE actions in front of schools, health centers, funerals. [2:23:34] We got Obama administration to do that. [2:23:36] But still, we had violations to their own policies. [2:23:39] This is an agency that is wreaked of this. [2:23:42] And when Speaker Johnson, and Chair Jayapal knows, when Speaker Johnson says ICE is doing what it was created to do, remember this when the funding comes up next week. [2:23:56] Thank you, and I yield. [2:23:57] Exactly right. [2:24:00] Thank you so much, Representative Tlaib. [2:24:02] We'll now go to Representative Shelly Pingree from Maine for four minutes. [2:24:07] Thank you very much. [2:24:11] I'm really proud of all my colleagues for being here today, and particularly honored to be here with all of you in Minnesota. [2:24:18] I was born in Minnesota. [2:24:19] I lived here until I was a teenager. [2:24:21] Some of my family is here with us today, and almost all of my family still lives in Minnesota. [2:24:25] So, Yasher, you betcha, glad to be with you. [2:24:28] But I am a Mainer through and through, and we are here today in particular because we are very worried about what's about to happen today. [2:24:35] We have no idea why we have been targeted as the next state, but our state has been on alert for the last few days. [2:24:42] ICE agents are starting to move into hotels, and all the rumors have them starting their operations in the next few days. [2:24:48] So, while I would like to talk to you a lot about the state of Maine, I really want to use my time to hear your advice to us. [2:24:55] What would you be doing if you knew it was about to happen? [2:24:59] In our state already in the past few days, we've heard from employers, we've heard from schools where people are already afraid to send their kids to school, workers who are afraid to go to work, employers who are worrying about it. [2:25:12] So, like, I would love to rant and rant about what's going on right now and how awful it is. [2:25:17] But please, just give us a few moments. [2:25:19] You have done so much and impressed us all so much. [2:25:22] So, could you just go down the line and say, if you knew this was about to happen next week, not talking about the past, what are the most important things we can do to help our citizens and help prepare for this? [2:25:32] I will start by saying pray. [2:25:41] Thank you. [2:25:43] I think in this moment, I call upon our nation and everyone to pray for our nation, because we call on higher power to intercede with divine intervention in this moment. [2:25:53] After that, organize like hell. [2:25:55] Yeah. [2:25:57] Organize number one. [2:25:58] Yeah. [2:25:59] The organizing that matters and that is making the difference is when people embody and bring to light the constitutional rights. [2:26:11] Their first amendment right, their fourth amendment right, and at some point, the 14th amendment right, because we know that's also being challenged. [2:26:20] Like, what does that actually mean to leave that fully in the public, to embody those to the North Star of what it actually means to have a saying? [2:26:33] What that actually means to hold your government accountable, what that actually means to hold power to its greater potential. [2:26:42] That's what constitutional observers are doing. [2:26:44] They're bringing things into the light. [2:26:46] We regular people, it's regular people. [2:26:48] We are the light. [2:26:49] Great. [2:26:50] Constitutional observers, regular people. [2:26:52] Love to hear from the police chief. [2:26:54] Thank you, ma'am. [2:26:55] In Mendota Heights, we say community is what keeps community safe. [2:26:59] And when our police act ethically, we get to be part of that community. [2:27:04] And so for police departments that are facing this, I would first clarify with our officers what we're legally able to do and not able to do. [2:27:13] And I would remind all of our officers that we have a duty to intercede when we see excessive force being used. [2:27:23] Thank you so much. [2:27:24] Ms. Patty. [2:27:26] I would encourage people to start talking to their neighbors. [2:27:29] Get to know your neighbors. [2:27:30] Get localized on the, or organized on the hyper local level. [2:27:34] Start donating to funds, mutual aid funds for, to get supplies and food to people when people of color are needing to shelter in place. [2:27:44] Start getting school parents to organize when to do patrols around each other's schools. [2:27:51] Because the, I mean, it's part of defense, but also the fabric, the social fabric that that is building is going to help us for the long haul in this fight against fascism. [2:28:02] A.C.L.U. [2:28:05] Know your rights. [2:28:06] Find your community. [2:28:07] Exercise your rights. [2:28:08] And the A.C.L.U. [2:28:10] Has litigated these issues, warrantless searches, racial profiling, targeting protesters, observers throughout this country. [2:28:17] And we will continue to do that. [2:28:18] Thank you all for taking the time to be here with us. [2:28:21] My staff and my team back in Maine is already working very closely on this. [2:28:25] But we're going to continue to stay in touch with all of you because we've learned so much from what you've already done in this difficult time. [2:28:31] And we're all here to fight back because this is not the American way. [2:28:34] Thank you so much. [2:28:35] Thank you, Representative Pingree. [2:28:37] Next, we'll go to Representative Gwen Moore from Wisconsin. [2:28:40] Thank you so much, Chair Jayapal. [2:29:02] You know, we're here on MLK Jr. weekend so appropriately. [2:29:09] People say, Gwen, you know, my family, I had plans with them today and they said, why are you in Minnesota? [2:29:15] And that's, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere. [2:29:20] And so that's why I'm here. [2:29:22] Mr. Mayo, I listened carefully to everything you said and it was like a fingernail, you know, scratching on a blackboard to continue to hear you talk about what was unconstitutional, what was illegal, blah, blah, blah. [2:29:42] And I was so happy that my colleague from the Judiciary Committee asked you about the shadow docket, the Kavanaugh doctrine of reasonable suspicion. [2:29:53] And so I am wondering, can you tell us what is the threat of this probable cause being subsumed by a reasonable suspicion and that becoming the new standard of care? [2:30:10] Well, thank you for your question. [2:30:14] I should say, you know, these issues are being litigated currently, but I would say probable cause is a standard. [2:30:19] You know, reasonable suspicion is not the standard. [2:30:22] I mean, but what was his raison d'etre? [2:30:25] I didn't read it. I'm not a lawyer. [2:30:26] I mean, how, I mean, I feel nervous that the Supreme Court justice even came up with this and I'm fearful. [2:30:34] And so I understand, I don't want to minimize at all how powerful rhetoric is from federal officials, from the top of the administration to incite and to demonize and to create an environment of hostility. [2:30:50] But I also do not want to give a single justice's concurrence opinion in which no other justice joined in a case that is very early in litigation too much weight. [2:31:01] Because racial profiling is not allowed. Race alone cannot justify or stop. [2:31:06] And we will continue to litigate that and we are confident that we will be successful. [2:31:10] I was sitting next to Representative Jayapal before she left and she shared with me an article that she put on display here. [2:31:19] And I know one of them had said, you know, one of us, all of you. [2:31:25] And I noted that the criminal activity that's been unearthed here in Minnesota among Somali people is like one tenth of one percent of the Somali community. [2:31:39] And I'm wondering if that is a legal standard that we can expect to be adopted in other places and also by law enforcement in places that are not in Minnesota. [2:32:00] So which legal standard did you ask? [2:32:03] Well, it's one of us. What does that remind you of? One of us, all of you. [2:32:10] Oh, yeah, I think I understand your question. I mean, some of the language and then and the kind of the message that we're hearing, it's it's there is explicit. [2:32:20] You know, there's even more explicit racial animus coming. We don't you know that we have heard coming directly from the president's mouth. Right. [2:32:26] You know, let me let me ask chief. Let me ask Miss Gonzalez, the twenty six thousand trained observers. [2:32:33] I just need to give you my cell phone number. I'll do that. [2:32:37] Chief McCarthy, you just said you just said a moment ago that that are you able to protect citizens from ice or do you have to stand down when they're making their arrests? [2:32:53] Thank you for that question, ma'am. We cannot interfere in a lawful arrest and we have no authority or ability to force them to answer our questions. [2:33:06] We are in a position in the Twin Cities and I know it might be different outstate where we're not even being informed of these activities. [2:33:14] So we find out about them after the fact. But we have to treat any law enforcement agency as if it's acting lawfully and ethically. [2:33:25] And that is the pinch that we are in right now. Thank you. My time has expired. Thank you. [2:33:33] Thank you, Representative Moore like now like to go to represent Val Hoyle from the state of Oregon. [2:33:39] I've spoken to many members and leaders in municipal law enforcement and they're watching what's happening in Minnesota and they're extremely concerned about what's going to happen in their communities. [2:33:57] Now, I don't represent Portland, Oregon, but it's clearly high on the list of targets of the Trump for the Trump administration. [2:34:06] And we have nine federally recognized tribes that are watching what is happening with the O'Gala Sioux and are wondering if they're next. [2:34:15] In my district, DHS is trying to take over our Coast Guard facility that's critical for Ocean Rescues to build an ice facility in a community where immigrants are working the most difficult jobs in commercial fishing, [2:34:27] fish processing, agriculture and protecting us from wildfire. Now, Chief McCarthy, we know that law enforcement has here has done the extremely hard work of building trust with the civilian population. [2:34:41] And for any community to respect the authority of law enforcement, they have to believe that officers are operating in their best interest and respecting the rule of law. [2:34:52] Stephen Miller has said ice agents have absolute immunity with no qualifications that habeas corpus can be suspended at the time of an invasion. [2:35:02] And they're looking at that. The president has brought up invoking the Insurrection Act in cities that didn't vote for him and against communities that stand up against unconstitutional and illegal actions of ice. [2:35:14] Kristi Noem accused Renee Good of being a domestic terrorist before even looking at the facts. We have ice agents to have between four weeks of online training and maximum eight weeks of in-person training with limited background checks being thrown into highly charged situations with the administration egging on aggressive actions and spreading disinformation instead of working to deescalate what is clearly putting our communities and our local [2:35:44] law enforcement in danger. So Chief McCarthy, could you briefly tell us what kind of training and experience do your local law enforcement officers have? And what does an investigation look like after an officer involves shooting? Because I do not think there's any comparison to what has happened with the Renee Good shooting. [2:36:03] Thank you, ma'am for that question. So in Minnesota, the minimum to be a police officer is you have to have a two year degree in law enforcement and criminal justice or a four year degree in anything. Once you've obtained that degree, we go through a skills based program that is supervised by the state. And that's anywhere from three to six months, then you are eligible to be licensed. Once you are eligible to be licensed, you can then apply at police departments who do rigorous psychological and [2:36:33] and background check. Once that is done and you are hired, uh, you then go through a training period, which again is another anywhere from three to six months with a minimum of one year probationary period. Um, as far as after a use of force, an officer involved shooting, it is very, very important that we do not, um, comment. We do not guess as far as a justification or not a justification. [2:37:05] As difficult as difficult as it is to not react to what you see. Um, professionally, it is very, very important that you don't give an indication if something is justified or not justified until all of the facts are brought in. It's, it's very thorough and, um, only then does that legal determination get made at the end of a thorough investigation. [2:37:26] All right. Thank you very much. Know that we're standing with you and the Trump administration's use of force was meant to get people to back down and the longer that you can stand up with our support, the better chance we have of making sure that this stops. We stop this in its tracks. Thank you all for you for your words. [2:37:47] Thank you. Representative Hoyle. Uh, I'd now like to rec recognize representative Glenn Ivy from Maryland. Thank you. You run pretty fast there. Um, I want to thank representatives, uh, Jayapal and Omar for putting this together. I want to thank the witnesses, uh, for not only testifying today, but the outstanding work you're doing in the community. I guess I want to comment, um, directly to ice officers, um, today, because as representative Hoyle said, [2:38:19] uh, there are members of the administration telling them they have absolute immunity, JD Vance and Stephen Miller and the like, and they certainly are acting like it. You know, we've seen the 16 shootings, um, obviously a fatal shooting here in Minneapolis. Uh, I think the mayor testified. They've only been four shootings here. Two were done by ice officers. And based on what I've seen and heard, including some instances in my area in Maryland, uh, they're acting like they're above the law. And I want to make sure that they're [2:38:51] understand they're not because we can prosecute these guys and we do. And the reason we know that's true. I was former prosecutor, federal and state. We put some of these people in jail before Derek Chauvin's in jail right now because he broke the law and he's been held accountable for that. And we can and will and must do that again. [2:39:15] Now, I think some of them think that they can be protected. They're wearing these masks, but that's not going to protect them. They think that Trump can protect them because he can pardon them. But guess what? You get convicted in state court. [2:39:27] You're staying in jail. You're staying in jail. He can't pardon you from state court. And just because you're an officer, just because you're wearing camouflage, that doesn't protect you either. And I don't care what Christy, not what Christy Noem says when she starts attacking these, you know, victims of these shootings, characters or character assassination will protect you either. And Bondi, you cannot hide the evidence from the state prosecutors like Keith Ellison right here in Minnesota. We're going to get it. We're going to get the information. We're going to move forward with the evidence. [2:39:57] We're going to do these prosecutions. And to the ICE agents out there who continue to break the law, you might end up being Derek Chauvin's roommate or cellmate. I should say you get those three hots in the cot. Might be federal, might be state, but you will be held accountable. No question about it. Ted Lieu mentioned earlier. This administration will be gone in three years. There's a five year statute of limitations. Even if Trump tries to pardon them preemptively, states can still go after him and they will. And I just want to make sure, too, that we get this. [2:40:30] out there as well this is important for everybody to know across the country [2:40:35] because I know a lot of the protesters are out there they're concerned they're [2:40:38] scared that there will be no accountability but there will be [2:40:41] accountability in these cases we're going to make sure that that happens and [2:40:44] we're going to go back to Capitol Hill and we're going to press our colleagues [2:40:48] our Republican colleagues to stand up for accountability too they've been [2:40:53] ducking and dodging on the Judiciary Committee Chairman and Oversight [2:40:57] Committee Chairman a Homeland Committee they're trying not to they're trying to [2:41:01] act like this isn't happening but they cannot avoid they're gonna have to see [2:41:06] the horrific violations of the Constitution and the loss of life that's [2:41:10] been going on here in Minnesota and across the country I'm the lead sponsor of the [2:41:15] George Floyd bill that's another piece of what we need to do to get done because [2:41:19] we've got to make sure we expand liability that's right he died just just a short [2:41:24] distance from here and just five years ago we've got to complete the work that [2:41:28] began with his death he did not die in vain we're going to make sure that we hold people [2:41:32] accountable we're going to get the job done on Capitol Hill and I know what's [2:41:36] going to happen here in Minnesota so I yield back thank you so much [2:41:43] representative Ivy next let's go to New Jersey representative Rob Menendez you're [2:41:47] recognized for four minutes thank you ranking member Jayapal and Congresswoman Omar for [2:41:52] your leadership and convening this important hearing and thank you to all of our witnesses for [2:41:57] being here today and for showing up every day for your communities what we've seen unfold in [2:42:02] Minnesota is the latest escalation of one of the most egregious attacks on due process rule of law [2:42:08] and immigrant and human rights that our nation has ever experienced and we're seeing the [2:42:12] consequences in our streets and communities and in the lives of people like Renee good Renee [2:42:17] good was a mother of three I was thinking about her children today when I was leaving mine and the [2:42:23] reality that they won't have their mother for the big moments and the small moments that make up a [2:42:28] life and while this administration wants to rob us of our humanity we cannot allow them to do so the [2:42:36] unacceptable truth and it's one that we cannot turn away from is that Renee goods killing did not [2:42:41] happen in isolation it was a tragic and foreseeable result of the trump administration's deliberate efforts [2:42:47] to dismantle legal guardrails normalize extreme force employ violent rhetoric and insulate immigration [2:42:53] enforcement from oversight i've seen the escalation of the trump administration's aggression firsthand [2:42:59] last year i was with my colleagues representatives watson coleman and macgyver for a legally protected [2:43:05] inspection of delaney hall immigration detention center in newark when over 20 armed ice and hsi agents [2:43:12] confronted us and attempted to impede us from conducting legal oversight and on that day in newark and [2:43:18] every day since the trump administration has repeatedly lied to the american people through misleading [2:43:24] statements accounts that contradict eyewitness and video evidence and attacking anyone who questions [2:43:31] its narrative we need to be clear about what's at stake for families in minnesota in new jersey and across [2:43:37] the country when you green light the use of aggressive force when you shield immigration officers from the law [2:43:43] and from oversight and when you treat immigration enforcement like a blank check to target political [2:43:49] foes without regard for public safety you create the conditions for this kind of tragedy that's just what [2:43:56] president trump and secretary noem have done they've created a country where no one is safe not mothers not your [2:44:04] neighbors not members of congress not faith leaders not even our children miss patty you mentioned uh that [2:44:12] when you were taken to the whipple detention center here in minneapolis that you saw cells designated for u.s [2:44:19] citizens can you speak to that uh yes there is like a specific hallway that they took us down that was [2:44:29] specifically for u.s citizens u.s citizens in an immigration and customs enforcement facility a place [2:44:37] that u.s citizens have traditionally never ended up but in this moment when no one's safe when people think [2:44:43] it's happening places that are not in their communities the reality is it's happened in chicago [2:44:48] it's happened in los angeles it's happening here in minneapolis and we know that if we're silent [2:44:54] it's going to creep into all of our neighborhoods it's going to creep into places where u.s citizens may think [2:44:58] they're safe but they're not and the reality is if we don't speak up if we don't listen to these [2:45:03] stories and do something about it everything that makes this country what it is why so many people [2:45:09] have come to this country whether they're cuban or somali descent will be lost and we cannot allow [2:45:14] that to happen so thank you for all that you're doing here in minnesota uh people around the country [2:45:18] are watching and supporting you with that i yield back thank you representative menendez we'll go to [2:45:24] arizona representative yasmin ansari thank you so much ranking member jayapal congresswoman omar thank [2:45:31] you to the witnesses for your courage and your bravery especially those of you who've been [2:45:37] through brutalization by an increasingly racist and out of control ice i represent phoenix glendale [2:45:43] and guadalupe and arizona a very diverse community where more than 64 languages are spoken [2:45:49] our community has been terrorized by ice as well and watching what's happened here in minnesota and [2:45:56] with some reports uh coming out saying that ice may ramp up in phoenix my constituents are very very [2:46:02] worried we've had many of my constituents taken by ice a docker recipient was detained on christmas eve [2:46:09] while doing her christmas shopping i have a constituent who was a green card holder named yadi who [2:46:16] has been in one of the detention centers for almost a year now where she has leukemia and is [2:46:23] extremely extremely sick and denied medical care i've had the opportunity to speak with [2:46:28] dozens of women inside the eloy detention center in arizona listened to the torture and abuse they've [2:46:34] gone through i'm also the very proud daughter of iranian immigrants and i'll just say it's been a [2:46:39] heartbreaking week watching what's happening in iran where an authoritarian regime has been cracking [2:46:46] down and murdered thousands of people but also what's happening here in the united states which i [2:46:52] want to be very clear is also an authoritarian takeover of this country and it would be naive for [2:47:00] anybody in this country to believe that we are not headed down the exact same direction that [2:47:06] authoritarian regimes like iran that my parents fled um ultimately has gotten to 47 years later [2:47:13] what we're seeing here in minnesota that you all described is not law enforcement it is a pattern [2:47:19] of abuse and purposeful inflammation of unrest by donald trump you described it so well how isis [2:47:26] terrorized immigrant and citizen communities alike violated due process left and right and targeted [2:47:32] residents and protesters exercising their first amendment rights people have been disappeared [2:47:38] into the detention centers without explanation and without access to counsel and this is an agency [2:47:43] that they has shown they have no regard for anyone's humanity i want to ask my first question to patty [2:47:51] patty thank you for sharing your story i i know it must be difficult given the trauma that you've been put [2:47:56] through you were detained by ice for approximately eight hours despite being a u.s citizen and not [2:48:02] charged with any crimes can you describe what officials told you regarding why you were arrested and [2:48:08] whether they verified your citizenship at any point during those eight hours the only time anyone said what [2:48:17] i had was being arrested for was the ice agents when they arrested us and said we were um that we were [2:48:27] obstructing their operation no one else said anything about what we might have been being held for um no one else [2:48:35] knew like it was very a very chaotic scene uh there people didn't know what was going on or who was there [2:48:43] for what was my interpretation um and they checked my i had my license with me and they they did check that when [2:48:51] i got to the facility thank you my next question is for chief mccarthy um there are reports you mentioned [2:48:59] in minnesota people are scared to send their children to school go to local businesses go to work [2:49:04] we felt the same in phoenix um from a public safety perspective how does this climate of fear [2:49:12] hinder effective policing oh thank you for that question it um it decimates [2:49:17] uh the trust that the community has in the police department it makes uh victims and witnesses [2:49:24] um reluctant to come forward even more so and what it who it really benefits are the criminals who prey [2:49:33] upon the vulnerable because they are still going to operate and they're going to prey upon [2:49:38] the most vulnerable people which right now are the ones who are afraid to leave their homes [2:49:42] in addition to all of the issues that it is with immigration we know that whenever we isolate [2:49:50] people we also have instances of domestic abuse uh that will go unreported so i wish i knew the full [2:49:59] extent but i don't know that we'll know the uh extent of the harm for for years to come thank you i yield [2:50:05] back thank you representative ansari and now i'd like to recognize representative mcclaine delaney from [2:50:11] maryland for four minutes i thank you uh ranking member jayapa and representative omar for arranging [2:50:21] this hearing and it i think it's really important because we do have the express authority to conduct [2:50:27] oversight and we must continue to do so at this incredible time um i have to say i'm just speechless [2:50:33] after the last night and then today hearing all of this and i just thank to each of you for sharing [2:50:39] your perspectives and your experiences against this lawless cruel unconstitutional actions including uh [2:50:47] the murder of renee good a mother uh but i have to say that it is a concerted effort really to to to [2:50:55] stew chaos and distrust and terror and it is something that is not only undermining our public safety but as [2:51:03] many said our very democracy itself but what did give me unbelievable unbelievable uh admiration is the [2:51:12] absolute courage and resilience of minnesota to stepping up to operation metro surge and just know [2:51:18] that transparency and rule of law will triumph triumph over this dark time um i represent maryland's sixth [2:51:27] district home to gaithersburg and germandown who are some of maryland's most diverse communities [2:51:32] and my constituents are immigrants they come from around the world and uh they in maryland we've [2:51:38] seen discriminatory enforcement illegal deportations including uh kilmar obrego garcia and record [2:51:45] inhumane detentions our systems also detentions are not designed to um really house such mass [2:51:53] incarceration and ice is running out of space their lethal use of force under the pretext of the [2:51:59] supremacy clause which is without legality or merit is misleading and i have been pushing back [2:52:05] forcefully about it uh to meet increased demand the administration is planning to house up to 80 000 [2:52:12] immigrants in warehouses completely unsuitable for habitation and i was just outside with some a group of [2:52:18] aapi community non-profits who were saying that many people are being picked up many of them are legal or [2:52:24] have legal status and are being shipped within 24 hours to warehouses in texas without transparency [2:52:30] or with any access to good treatment or legal rights there is a processing center that's being proposed [2:52:38] in takersdown maryland in my district and i know there's one in woodbury minnesota less than a half an [2:52:43] hour from here i just want to know that there will be accountability for the president and for secretary [2:52:49] gnome but in the interim um mr mayow ice visited a site this week in my district for their proposed [2:52:56] warehouse detention center is there anything that communities can do to leverage their local [2:53:02] legal authorities to push back against ice expansion and other than these the litigation [2:53:08] what can we do as communities to enact new policies to slow down these detention centers and to [2:53:13] give some transparency uh thank you thank you representative thank you for that question and [2:53:19] for bringing it to the same perspective perspective absolutely again there's many things that [2:53:24] community members can do to hold ice and this government accountable here in minnesota we are actively [2:53:32] litigating issues around 287g agreements including you know where local law enforcement will [2:53:40] sign a contract with dhs and and do some of the work for them and we are litigating when when those things [2:53:47] are done um in a way that isn't prescribed by local law or state law and there are community um activists [2:53:54] advocates who are getting engaged at the county level with sheriffs um and and being engaged to make sure [2:54:01] whether it's a processing site whether it's a detention center where it's your local sheriff cooperating [2:54:06] with ice um making sure your voice is heard and it is effective to hold people accountable and to bring these [2:54:13] issues to light so thank you for bringing thank you for lifting that up and i yield back thank you [2:54:19] representative mcclain delaney i'd now like to recognize representative dave minn from california [2:54:24] uh thank you i want to thank you all for sharing your experiences uh we've all seen the videos [2:54:32] they're horrific including the video of the murder of renee nicole good but they don't fully capture the [2:54:38] scale of what's happening in minnesota right now what you are describing is a full-scale hostile invasion of the [2:54:44] city by thousands of violent federal agents who are routinely and systematically violating the law [2:54:50] by stopping detaining arresting and often assaulting people including american citizens without probable [2:54:56] cause asking for people's papers breaking into people's cars and homes and scenes that evoke nazi [2:55:02] germany or stalinist russia what is happening right now in america is fundamentally un-american it is evil [2:55:08] and it is completely illegal now before coming to congress i was an sec enforcement attorney [2:55:14] then a law professor i'm also the child of korean immigrants who came to this country in search of [2:55:18] the american dream and i believe it's so important for us to stand up for the rule of law and for [2:55:23] our constitutional rights i represent orange county in california irvine costa mesa newport beach other [2:55:29] cities and many of us became very alarmed last year when we saw ice agents acting lawlessly and [2:55:35] violently in southern california with no repercussions and we've been ringing the alarm bell for months [2:55:40] last year i led several letters to the department of homeland security including to christy noem [2:55:45] asking among other things how many new ice agents had been hired what background checks have been [2:55:49] undertaken what internal processes or investigations were undertaken when ice agents were accused of [2:55:55] misconduct we've not received any substantive responses which i understand is the case with every [2:56:00] single house member who sought accountability it's clear that this complete contempt for accountability [2:56:05] comes straight from the top christy noem tom holman greg bovino are creating a culture of lawlessness [2:56:11] and violence where ice agents know they can literally murder u.s citizens in broad daylight while [2:56:17] being filmed and that there will be no repercussions under this administration but i want to reiterate [2:56:22] the comments made by others there is no statute of limitations for murder and trump cannot pardon you [2:56:27] for state crimes like murder and assault now apparently half of the new ice agents hired in the past year [2:56:32] filled an open book exam required to join federal law enforcement so let me dumb this down being [2:56:37] an ice agent does not mean you get away with breaking the law you will be prosecuted and you will be held [2:56:42] accountable now i want to ask you chief mccarthy uh if one of your officers was accused of assaulting a [2:56:49] peaceful protester or drawing a firearm on a civilian without cause or firing tear gas into a car with [2:56:54] children in it what actions would you take uh thank you for that that question so in minnesota we have a peace [2:57:01] officer's bill of rights but what once that complaint had been filed and signed we would remove the [2:57:08] officer from service and start an investigation into the matter and would the results of those [2:57:14] investigations be released to the public when in minnesota because of union rules when discipline is [2:57:21] enforced then yes that becomes public now you mentioned that ice is not informing you of their activities [2:57:26] what cost does that impose on your department briefly lots right so i i would just say i think you deserve [2:57:32] reimbursement for those costs and that's why i'm introducing legislation to require that ice and dhs [2:57:37] pay out of their own budget for the cost of any illegal improper activity they engage in including [2:57:42] departments like yours now i just want to close by saying this it's great we're holding this shadow [2:57:47] hearing but the fact that republicans are not here is shameful because this is not a left-right issue [2:57:53] this should be with above impeachment uh federal agents should follow the law they should respect [2:57:58] the constitution and they should not kill or assault innocent civilians uh they have the [2:58:03] majority right now but instead of holding any oversight they have passed a massive 170 billion [2:58:08] dollar budget increase for ice including 32 billion for new ice agents that is bigger than most almost [2:58:14] every military in the world including canada and israel with no guard rails and no accountability [2:58:19] now i'm a southern california and i'm here very cold very far from home because i want you to know [2:58:23] it's important that and i want donald trump to know you're not alone your communities are under attack [2:58:28] mass and violent men are breaking into your homes your cars your churches your schools [2:58:32] and that must be so hard for you all but we're standing with you because we think you're turning [2:58:36] the tide right now your cameras your voices your whistles they are turning the tide you're standing up [2:58:41] to authoritarianism you are defending our democracy and we are with you every step of the way thank you [2:58:46] and i yield back thank you representative min uh i now recognize representative emily randall from my home [2:58:57] state of washington thank you uh representative jayapal across the country we all watched from our phones as ice [2:59:05] murdered renee nicole good in the streets of minneapolis last week the american people are feel fearful [2:59:12] and angry they're terrified they're furious that the trump administration is unleashing lawless agents [2:59:19] on our neighborhoods raiding an active forest firefighting operation in my district and shooting [2:59:24] people dead who dare to speak up and protest and ask questions i refuse to let state violence committed [2:59:32] by state police not minnesota state police but state police go unchecked accountability is not [2:59:40] optional in my first year as a member of congress i successfully conducted five oversight visits to [2:59:46] the tacoma northwest detention center in my district once i was illegally denied entry during these [2:59:52] oversight visits i heard directly from detainees some of them legal permanent residents many who have been [2:59:58] in the u.s for over a decade that they're being denied proper medical care that ice and geo agents [3:00:03] regularly accompany detainees during medical appointments exposing them to incredibly vulnerable [3:00:08] moments in violation of their rights under hipaa and counter to common practices of community doctors [3:00:14] who like congresswoman maxine dexter who visited with me once see criminally incarcerated patients this is [3:00:21] part of a widespread problem that raises serious privacy concerns serious training concerns serious [3:00:28] oversight concerns we all saw in a viral video this earlier this week an ice agent following a detained [3:00:35] individual into a porta potty there is no situation that warrants this this is in line with ice training [3:00:43] or i should say a lack of training that is empowering lawless agents across the country and to make matters [3:00:51] even worse i'm hearing we all are hearing from tribal members including those in my district as well as native [3:00:58] people across minnesota and across the country that ice is illegally detaining and targeting native people [3:01:04] for the color of their skin tribal members are being detained as leverage to convince tribal nations to sign [3:01:11] agreements with ice for enforcement on their sovereign territory and that's why i'm an original co-sponsor [3:01:18] of the articles of impeachment against secretary gnome bad behavior begins at the top if we want to ensure [3:01:26] all individuals are treated with dignity we have to ensure that there is competent leadership in place [3:01:31] and i have zero faith in secretary gnome let me be clear using ice agents to kill people in the [3:01:37] streets is fascism and i will use all the tools available to fight to defend our democracy and our [3:01:42] collective future new nbs reporting shows that ice used ai determine in determining which agents needed [3:01:50] how much more training and in instances where individuals wrote about how badly they wanted to be an [3:01:55] ice officer they got less training chief mccarthy i'd like to hear a little bit about the training [3:02:02] a little bit more about the training your police force employees i'm sure it's better than what we're [3:02:06] seeing ice be given our local officers typically trained to record interactions with their cell phones [3:02:11] while holding a gun at the same time in the other hand uh thank you for that question and no ma'am [3:02:17] they are not our local officers typically trained to fire their guns into vehicles we are trained if we [3:02:26] need to fire a weapon into a vehicle however most policy including the state uh wide model policy [3:02:35] warns against shooting into moving vehicles there's probably some de-escalation in between [3:02:41] saying please stop and shooting into a vehicle um and speaking of de-escalation are local police [3:02:47] officers trained to de-escalate situations or are they trained to shoot first we are trained to de-escalate [3:02:54] so police officers for the city of minneapolis who are given more training than the federal agents [3:03:01] are keeping our communities safe and i want to thank you for everything that you do to keep our [3:03:07] communities safe thank you madam chair thank you so much representative randall uh i now recognize [3:03:14] representative luz rivas from california for four minutes thank you um congresswoman uh jaya paul and [3:03:21] congresswoman omar for organizing this timely hearing and thank you to the entire minnesota [3:03:27] delegation congresswoman betty mccollum angie craig and my freshman colleague kelly morrison for your [3:03:33] leadership during these difficult times we're here in support and in solidarity with the communities in [3:03:41] minnesota following the horrific murder of renee good and isis continued assaults on your communities [3:03:49] i represent immigrant communities in the east san fernando valley of los angeles and since june of [3:03:55] 2025 the trump administration and his ice forces have routinely racially profiled and targeted my [3:04:04] district neighborhoods in my district have the highest level of ice enforcement in all of los angeles [3:04:10] county we have seen street vendors assaulted day laborers abducted and an 18 year old high school [3:04:16] student detained and separated from his mother for months unfortunately we're seeing this pattern [3:04:23] here in minnesota and ice is using intimidation tactics here this rogue department racially discriminates [3:04:33] against people who look black and brown just to hit a quota your immigration status does doesn't even [3:04:40] matter if you look like me you're a target of trump secretary noem and ice secretary noem and ice [3:04:47] repeatedly ignore due process and the rights of americans and are wreaking havoc in our communities [3:04:53] this is why i signed on to the articles of impeachment against secretary noem she is unfit for this role and [3:04:59] she must go now with the limited time that i have remaining i want to hear from our witnesses who are [3:05:07] living through this terror miss gonzalez avalos and mr hussein your organizations are on the front lines [3:05:16] right now when we all go back to washington what do you think congress must do and specific or any specific [3:05:24] policy changes in order to reign in isis terror against communities across the country um freeze the [3:05:39] funding for the department of homeland security um bring to justice agent russ and um i mean when [3:05:53] there's a path truly work on comprehensive immigration reform yes i think this is a moment right now [3:06:01] that congress needs to act and uh as you all have said this is not about left or right this is about [3:06:08] the constitution of the united states of america and you are sent by your districts to uphold the [3:06:14] constitution and the constitution is being ripped by this administration thank you to all of you um for [3:06:22] your important work in and trying to help and protect those who are the most vulnerable i have learned a [3:06:29] lot from this visit and from this hearing i'm inspired by your uh coordinated resistance and [3:06:36] looking forward to going back to los angeles and sharing what i've learned here in minnesota thank [3:06:41] you and i yield back thank you representative rivas um i now recognize representative latifah simon [3:06:48] from california for four minutes thank you so much thank you to our chairs who brought us all together [3:06:55] here thank you to the witnesses the the reality is that this moment demands that we acknowledge [3:07:03] like has been said before the long lineage of federal power exercised without guard rails [3:07:11] it's important on this weekend and every day moving forward that we acknowledge the history [3:07:16] that trump eludes when he says he's going to make this country great again a return to a time [3:07:21] when blatant displays of outright bigotry and racism and state-sanctioned violence went unchecked [3:07:28] we are very clear that the residents of this here city are checking that unchecked violence and we are so [3:07:37] proud as a nation and so inspired that you resemble so clearly the young people multiracial young people [3:07:48] who stood up to a horrific government where they stuck hoses on young people hoses so strong that they [3:07:58] those hoses could tear the skin off the protesters today on the weekend of martin luther king's birthday [3:08:06] we were reminded that that struggle never ended through your work here dr king not only fought [3:08:12] segregation but economic exploitation and militarism and the abuse of government power accountability can't [3:08:20] end and we know it should not must not end with this hearing or the next news cycle instead of going on [3:08:28] much further i want to continue to just to give so much love to miss good's family my daughter lost her [3:08:39] father at a very young age and i know what it means for children to grow up without their parents [3:08:47] the whores of what this state meaning our executive branch have called justice the whores one of the [3:08:58] things that i think is extremely important for me to convey here as someone who is muslim and this is [3:09:04] our holy day it is juma is to acknowledge that the trump administration has waged an all-out war [3:09:11] on muslims in this country and mr hussein you talked a lot about this amazing community the somali [3:09:19] community and given it's our holy day it was also mentioned that mosses and other places of worship [3:09:27] and faith are under attack why don't you give you the last minute that i have to give us more color on [3:09:35] what's happening in the communities that you represent thank you thank you and i just want to just echo [3:09:40] your point um we love this state we love the people of the state and i personally believe on this day [3:09:48] that god has chosen minnesota after the murder of george floyd to bear that burden and once again we are [3:09:55] asked to bear the burden of standing up for this nation and i don't believe that's an accident i believe [3:10:02] there's incredible goodness in this great state and remain uh renee good is part of that uh but we are [3:10:11] called in this moment to come together and minnesotans all walks of life are coming together in this moment [3:10:17] we are displaying hope and love in the midst of hate and fear and i will tell you i have seen people [3:10:26] in the midst of fear but at the same time seeing their neighbors checking in on them i have seen [3:10:33] young people rise up uh walk out of their high schools standing up for each other i will tell you [3:10:40] this moment is the moment as my colleague just mentioned for the first time in this country we are [3:10:46] going to fix the immigration problem for the first time in this country we're going to make every person [3:10:52] be dignified because of god giving them that dignity so i will tell you my community is extremely [3:10:58] resilient they are young and capable and i'm incredibly impressed but this moment the love of [3:11:05] minnesota and the incredible uh norwegians and you know we're a little passive aggressive and we say oops [3:11:10] and all those kind of things but if you put us in a corner that's right we will take care of each [3:11:15] other minnesota is going to show us the way thank you sir you're all showing us the way thank you [3:11:23] so beautifully said um thank you representative simon uh i'd now like to recognize representative [3:11:30] walkinshaw from virginia for five minutes four minutes excuse me four minutes our typical is five [3:11:35] minutes but it's four minutes thank you that's going to be hard to follow uh but but thank you ranking [3:11:41] member jaya paul and the minnesota delegation this is my first visit to minnesota i hope my next visit [3:11:46] will be under better circumstances and i want to thank our witnesses and the community members here and [3:11:53] across minnesota who have been doing their patriotic duty as americans to stand up to this administration [3:12:03] my constituents the folks i represent in virginia and the minnesotans that i talk to [3:12:09] want secure borders they want our immigration laws all of our laws to be enforced but they want it done [3:12:17] unfairly humanely and in a way that's consistent with our values as americans they don't want masked [3:12:27] secret police they don't want disappearances they don't want peaceful protesters shackled and pregnant [3:12:38] women dragged through the street they don't want guns pulled on children and they don't want unarmed [3:12:46] mothers shot and killed in their cars it's clear to me based on what i've heard today that what is happening [3:12:56] here in minnesota is not about immigration enforcement it is not about corruption it sure [3:13:04] as hell is not about public safety it's about political retribution power and intimidation and that's [3:13:16] why congress must step up and rein in this mass deportation mass destruction machine that trump has [3:13:26] assembled and because we know the trump administration and secretary noem won't hold anyone accountable [3:13:37] we have to be crystal clear today that house democrats will hold people accountable we will hold [3:13:45] people accountable for the laws that have been broken for the rights that have been violated and i want to [3:13:52] talk directly to speaker johnson if he's taking a break from doing donald trump's bidding speaker johnson [3:13:59] if you bring next week to the floor of the house a department of homeland security funding bill [3:14:06] that doesn't end these abuses you can pass it without my vote you won't have my vote chief mccarthy [3:14:16] you've gotten a lot of questions about training i'm going to ask another one you went through the [3:14:23] timeline of someone who wants to become a member of of your police department i was adding up all of the [3:14:31] requirements it sounded like years before you would have that officer on their own serving patrolling in [3:14:40] your community we know that ice is sending folks out with six to eight weeks of training from your [3:14:49] perspective your decades of experience what could go wrong if you put an officer out on the streets and [3:14:56] your community with just six to eight weeks of training uh thank you for that question and i think [3:15:03] we're seeing it everything can go wrong when officers are put in positions where they are stressed [3:15:12] and now they're insecure they're going to be quicker to move to physical violence and what you're finding [3:15:20] is that if they don't know their legal rights and authority they're going to violate the rights and [3:15:28] authority of others and so it is a very dangerous situation thank you i yield back thank you so much [3:15:36] representative walkenshaw um and now it's my pleasure to uh recognize atleta grijalva from arizona for [3:15:46] four minutes thank you muchas gracias i would like to start by acknowledging the gravity of this moment [3:15:53] of the witness here especially true for the people of minnesota for communities across the country who [3:16:03] are living in fear this city is mourning the loss of one of its community members renee nicole good [3:16:10] three children are now mourning the loss of their mother because of a federal agent shot and killed her [3:16:15] point-blank range and what has the federal response been calls for a transparent accountable investigation [3:16:22] no we're watching federally controlled probe shut out state and local authorities offering zero [3:16:28] transparency are we seeing a calm commander-in-chief urging de-escalation and peaceful protest no [3:16:36] we're seeing blatant intimidation and threats to invoke the insurrection act do we even hear the faintest [3:16:44] acknowledgement that maybe just maybe something went wrong here no instead we see secretary norm [3:16:52] distort the facts gaslight the american public and try to make us not believe what we can see with our [3:16:58] own eyes let's be clear renee nicole good was murdered at the hands of ice a lawless agency that [3:17:05] is promoting chaos and fear in our communities across the country what is happening in minnesota [3:17:11] is unfortunately all too familiar for arizonans arizona is no stranger to this fight in 2010 the state [3:17:18] passed the now senate bill sb 1070 the show me your papers right 1070 was one of the broadest strictest [3:17:26] laws of its kind and at the time and it took effect and made arizona a testing ground for racial profiling [3:17:34] and cruel immigration policies the very kind that we see implemented across the country today [3:17:40] i represent a district that shares 300 miles of the border with mexico where families live on both [3:17:46] sides of the border families have mixed status and the presence of border patrol and immigration agents [3:17:53] is a fact of our daily life but the level of aggression we have seen since trump took office [3:18:00] is truly unprecedented i witnessed this firsthand when federal agents raided a local restaurant [3:18:06] in my district when i showed up to ask for more information to do my job of oversight tried to [3:18:13] de-escalate the situation they indiscriminately sprayed chemical irritants on the crowd which [3:18:18] included myself and journalists documenting the scene and what they then they spun it and gaslighted [3:18:25] the community and what we're seeing here in minnesota and what i've seen in arizona is part of that [3:18:31] same pattern it's pattern of intimidation federal agents using force instead of restraint [3:18:37] intimidation instead of engagement secrecy instead of transparency that is why until significant [3:18:44] reforms are made congress should not allocate another dime ni un centavo to immigration enforcement [3:18:51] agencies secretary gnome should be impeached for her handling of this incident and for a campaign of [3:18:57] terror across the country we need to make sure that federal law enforcement serves the people la gente [3:19:04] not terrorize them we need accountability we need answers and that is why we are all here today [3:19:10] to be here with you i want to thank you for being here and i do want to ask a question of miss gonzalez [3:19:17] avalos we've heard the stories of people afraid to go to work to go to school to go to the mail [3:19:25] after ice killed a u.s citizen here how has fear spread through this immigrant and mixed status families [3:19:31] and what um has this done to trust the trust in law enforcement how has this affected their [3:19:37] willingness to call the police report crimes or seek help when they need it uh we have seen that across [3:19:44] the board immigrant communities are deeper in lockdown they are not sending their children to school [3:19:52] regardless of their citizenship they're not going to work and their businesses [3:19:57] are increasingly getting shut down they they are making the hard decision um we have also experienced [3:20:06] uh and we need more information about that but we have also experienced systemic uh deployment of i-9 [3:20:14] audits in ethnic corridors and latino like ethnic business corridors in the metro and suburban areas [3:20:22] and people are afraid that by submitting something that is supposed to be simple regulatory practice could be weaponized [3:20:32] using further that information to harm more families even those that might have immigration status [3:20:39] we are hearing hospitals people are not seeking care critical care people are not getting their medication or going to the pharmacy [3:20:50] uh and people who have made the decision that maybe the way out is going back to their birthplace [3:20:59] are afraid to even buy an airplane ticket because they know that there is cooperation in the airports and in the border [3:21:06] even if they're trying to go to their birthplace where they are legible and they can be there uh lawfully [3:21:14] the people united will never be divided thank you for showing us the way thank you so much representative [3:21:24] grijalva um and i want to just thank all of the members who have been here uh who have been who have [3:21:31] participated in this hearing for um for making this a priority and i'm going to move to closing statements [3:21:37] i recognize representative omar for her closing statement i join representative chayapal um in uh [3:21:47] thanking um my colleagues for joining us today to the um grateful to the state um and local electeds who [3:21:56] testified um to our incredible um second panel who have spoken um to the brutality that they have [3:22:05] experienced it is clear that our republican colleagues are not here uh because they were comfortable [3:22:14] in taking money from uh that would be allocated for footsteps they were comfortable in taking money [3:22:21] that would be allocated for housing and they were certainly comfortable in taking money that would be [3:22:26] allocated uh in addressing health care to try to fund what um is now providing the resources for the [3:22:35] occupation that we are experiencing here in minnesota 175 billion dollars that could have been provided [3:22:47] for so many of our vulnerable communities now being utilized to create detention cells for americans by ice [3:23:00] and border patrol by shooting an american citizen a mother in the face not once but twice but three times by dragging a pregnant u.s [3:23:15] citizen on the floor for everyone to watch and as representative aaron cagle just sent me [3:23:25] me staging four ice trucks in front of spring lake high school as kids are being let out for their lunch break our republican [3:23:42] colleagues are not saying anything because they are comfortable for people to be terrorized in st cloud [3:23:50] minnesota minnesota where they represent in wilmer minnesota minnesota where they represent and we've seen [3:24:01] what has been happening in rochester and in rosemount this is not just an occupation that is terrorizing [3:24:09] people in minnesota in minnesota that live in minneapolis and st paul which where they are comfortable [3:24:15] with when the president says he's coming for retribution because they think it's democrats who voted [3:24:21] against the president that he's coming after but it is all of minnesota when my constituents call for [3:24:28] help we don't ask them who they voted for because that is what it means to be an elected u.s representative [3:24:37] so it is appalling it is appalling for our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to be okay for the [3:24:48] president to carry out retribution here in minnesota it is appalling for our republican colleagues to be okay [3:24:55] for there to be cell detentions in ice for american citizens it is appalling for them to be okay for [3:25:04] there to be checkpoints in american cities where people are asked for their papers and it is appalling [3:25:11] for americans to have to carry their citizen papers only to be told they are not sure if those papers are [3:25:22] correct i don't want to curse but those of us who escaped places like that the one place where we [3:25:32] thought we would never experience this is the u.s goddamn states and we should all be ashamed that it is the united [3:25:43] states that is allowing for this to take place and it is being forecasted and broadcasted to the rest of [3:25:52] the world where people are calling and saying are you sure this is america i am ashamed and we must do [3:25:59] everything that we can to bring back the america we all escaped into thank you representative omar um we [3:26:17] are so grateful for your incredible leadership for your courage and for your representation not just of [3:26:25] the people of minneapolis not just of the people of minnesota but of the people of the united states of [3:26:30] america and i am really grateful to all of you for being here i know that there is risk i know that there [3:26:38] is risk in different ways for every single one of you and i appreciate that you are standing up and [3:26:45] speaking out and telling us what we need to hear and i appreciate the state and elected officials who [3:26:52] testified i appreciate the law enforcement here in minnesota that has actually been trained and is [3:26:59] working to try and de-escalate and most of all i appreciate the people of minnesota i've been a [3:27:07] community organizer my whole life that's what i did for 20 years before coming to congress the only reason [3:27:12] i came to congress was because i wanted to reform the immigration system and because i believe that we [3:27:18] can organize on the inside just like we can on the outside and one of the things we know as community [3:27:23] organizers is that courage comes in times of fear courage is acting despite your fear and also that [3:27:34] strength comes in times of crisis and what i have seen not just here in minnesota but in illinois in [3:27:40] every state that i've been to across the country is that people are bringing forward that courage they are [3:27:49] bringing it forward with the whistles they are bringing it forward with the training they are [3:27:53] bringing it forward with the non-violent protest they are bringing it forward with the very spack [3:27:59] fact that they will speak out and refuse to be silenced look when i started these hearings we're not [3:28:06] in them we're not in the majority we will be we will be soon we will be in the majority not a single [3:28:14] democrat voted for that 170 billion dollars of funding in the big bad betrayal bill that was a betrayal on so [3:28:21] many levels not a single democrat voted for that but i do want to say that when we have the gavels [3:28:28] back we have to take this on because this has been an ongoing escalation of funding to ice to border [3:28:37] patrol without any accountability detention soaring incarceration of immigrants in the united states [3:28:45] of america now at 56 000 people a night being incarcerated the entire spending for the bureau of [3:28:52] prisons is dwarfed by the amount of spending that we are putting into incarcerating immigrants in a [3:28:59] system that is a civil system now i get mocked all the time by republicans when i try to say this [3:29:05] immigration is a civil system not a criminal system that is why people are not given attorneys they're [3:29:13] not given the right to counsel because it is a civil system the detention system is not punitive [3:29:19] it is not supposed to be punitive excuse me it is being used punitively and so we have put together [3:29:28] on the subcommittee a list of accountability measures what does it look like to have real accountability [3:29:36] ms gonzalez avalos mr hussein you talked about some of this mr mail you certainly know and have spoken [3:29:42] about this you need a warrant a judicial warrant to conduct an arrest you must prosecute officers [3:29:53] within ice and cbp who violate people's constitutional rights you must share information on those [3:30:02] investigations with state and local law enforcement who are part of those investigations no masks let me [3:30:10] tell you they say they need masks to protect these ice agents when they arrest gang members they don't [3:30:17] wear masks you cannot be in our communities unidentified and with mass there's a whole list of things [3:30:26] because the list of abuses is so strong and what i want to tell you is that without those i will not [3:30:36] fund a single cent to ice and cbp and i think most of the people on this diet if not all as well as many [3:30:45] others that are not here feel the same way because we do have the power of the purse and yes we are in [3:30:55] the minority by the way you need 60 votes in the senate that means you have to have democrats in the [3:31:00] senate to pass these things when we started doing these hearings last summer it was because republicans [3:31:09] refuse to hold any accountability hearings the only hearings we have on the immigration subcommittee [3:31:14] as my colleagues who are on that subcommittee know are all about lies lies about immigrants lies [3:31:20] about terrorists lies about fraud lies about whatever you can imagine and the reality is 70 percent of the [3:31:27] people that they've detained kidnapped disappeared have zero criminal history and the 30 percent that remain [3:31:34] are tiny parking infractions misdemeanors those those are the things that they're kidnapping and disappearing [3:31:42] people for and when we started so we decided we would just hold these hearings if they won't do [3:31:48] it we can these are not shadow hearings i'm not calling them that anymore i'm calling them hearings [3:31:53] these are hearings with real witnesses and real members of congress who are listening to that testimony [3:32:00] and not that many people came in the beginning to be honest and we've had trouble getting some of [3:32:06] them covered but the last one that we did in illinois had 19 members from all over the country the last [3:32:14] one we did in dc had 26 members all democrats and this one is the most 28 members of congress from 18 [3:32:24] states around the country who are here to listen to you so i just want to say to all of you [3:32:32] you are not alone what we are seeing is horrific and it is happening in other places as well and it [3:32:43] will continue to happen in other places so if you are watching this and you think this is never going to [3:32:48] happen to you that you're not going to have somebody pulled out of a car tear gassed in a car simply for [3:32:55] following an ice vehicle if you think that somebody is not going to be shot on your street [3:33:01] a mother a daughter a sister a brother is not going to be shot on your street by an ice officer [3:33:08] this can happen to you and so i'm asking everyone that is not in this room that may be watching in [3:33:14] another state to find that courage to speak out to get trained to get connected with your local [3:33:22] organizations and to make sure that you are ready in the same way that minnesota has shown us over and [3:33:29] over again that you are ready to be american citizens american residents who believe in this constitution [3:33:40] who believe in this country and will stand up for it thank you all so much for being here