\u201cThe slaying of Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti by DHS are the most tragic examples of what is wrong with Trump\u2019s DHS,\u201d Ranking Member Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said during opening remarks. <\/p>\n
Lyons declined to apologize over Good and Pretti\u2019s deaths and said he would not comment on any active investigations. <\/p>\n
He defended the administration\u2019s immigration policies and tactics, saying that, “in the wake of the unprecedented border crisis of the previous administration, ICE has stepped into the breach to enforce the law.”<\/p>\n
\u201cWe sent a message to anyone who thinks they can intimidate us, you will fail,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Lyons said ICE made 379,000 arrests during the first year of the Trump administration and removed over 475,000 people from the U.S.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are only getting started,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
![\"Image:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/260210-House-Homeland-Security-hearing-gk-f46dbb.jpg\")
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Joseph Edlow, and acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons prepare to testify during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Samuel Corum \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
Republican lawmakers focused on the escalation of threats against federal law enforcement while also calling for an investigation into the fatal shootings in Minnesota. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe sit here today at an inflection point, an opportunity to assess and reinforce the integrity of immigration enforcement, to strengthen public trust, an opportunity to emphasize and underscore the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s no-fail mission as a whole,\u201d said House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino, R-N.Y. <\/p>\n
Garbarino stated there should be a \u201ccomplete and impartial\u201d investigation into the killings of Pretti and Good.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have seen state and local jurisdictions refuse to protect federal law enforcement officers, and obviously, we have now seen the deaths of two American citizens in Minnesota,\u201d Garbarino said. \u201cThis is all unacceptable and preventable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garbarino pointed out that there has been a significant increase in attacks on federal law enforcement and in the number of threats facing them and their families. <\/p>\n
Democrats asked Lyons for the number of ICE agents or officers who have been fired for misconduct during immigration operations, which Lyons didn\u2019t answer, as they cited reports of arrests of U.S. citizens, the use of chemical irritants on protesters and other instances of suspected excessive use of force. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said there are several open investigations within his agency but declined to provide details.<\/p>\n
Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., showed videos of chemical irritants being deployed against a driver and his young child,<\/a> and pepper spray being used at close range on someone\u2019s face while pinned down by officers. When Magaziner asked Scott whether it was proper procedure to deploy pepper spray into a moving vehicle, Scott said no<\/a>. Scott declined to comment on the second instance, saying the video was just a limited clip.<\/p>\n \u201cYour agency has repeatedly been caught on tape using unnecessary violence against civilians, and you can\u2019t even tell me if any of these agents have been investigated or disciplined,\u201d the congressman said. <\/p>\n