“De Facto Dictatorship”: Democrats Confront ICE, CBP Officials on Brutal Tactics

Democratic lawmakers presented a detailed list of alleged abuses by ICE and CBP. Congresswoman Delia Ramirez specifically accused ICE of shooting and killing Sylveo Viegas Gonzalez and Renee Gur, violating nearly 100 court orders in a single month, using banned chokeholds in over 40 cases, engaging in warrantless arrests, using children as bait to detain 3,800 children, creating traps at immigration courts, and entering homes without judicial warrants. She also accused CBP of attempting to execute Marimar Martinez by shooting her five times, murdering Alex Prety, using chemical agents dozens of times in Chicago despite court orders, conducting warrantless surveillance, and engaging in racial profiling.

Congresswoman Delia Ramirez's remarks during the House Homeland Security Committee hearing, directly addressing Mr. Lions (ICE) and Mr. Scott (CBP).

Congressman Al Green explicitly called for Homeland Security Secretary Christy Gnome to be investigated and prosecuted, alongside the officers involved in alleged ungodly conduct. He stated, 'Impeachment is not enough. She's a part of a crime. She's a part of a cover up.' Green argued that the killing of an unarmed individual, shot multiple times, constitutes criminal behavior. Congresswoman Ramirez also vowed that there would be a 'day of accountability' for the officials.

Congressman Al Green's statements, particularly 'The Secretary should be investigated right along with those officers who are out there engaged in this ungodly conduct. She should be investigated. And in my opinion, based upon my observation, secretary should not only be investigated, the secretary should be prosecuted right along with those officers.'

Congresswoman Delia Ramirez advocated for shutting down the entire Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by withholding funding, not just ICE. She argued that this leverage is necessary to force Republicans to the negotiating table and address the alleged killings, terrorizing, and detaining of children. She dismissed concerns about FEMA and Coast Guard, claiming their funding is already being cut and redirected by the current administration.

Ramirez stated, 'The best way we stop this is shutting it down. Let it shut down on Friday. Let Republicans have to meet with us. Require them to come to the table because we should not just be talking about the 11 billion. We should be talking about every single dollar that this agency has been using to execute people, to harm people.'

Democratic lawmakers demanded that federal agents, particularly ICE and CBP, operate without masks. Congresswoman Delia Ramirez emphasized, 'When we say no mask, we mean no masks,' rejecting any partial or situational exceptions. She argued that masked agents pose a threat, enable impunity, and are not standard practice for other law enforcement, linking it to the agencies operating as a 'paramilitary police.'

Ramirez's response to the host's question about Democratic leadership backing off the mask demand: 'I think that the American people have demanded that no mask means no masks. I don't care if it's partial mask or if it's a particular situation. No other law enforcement is using masks.'