Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons told Fox News Digital he will not resign despite mounting pressure from Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who demanded during a Tuesday hearing that Lyons either step down or "side with the killers." The confrontation comes after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis last month — Renee Good, 37, on January 23, and Alex Pretti, 37, a VA intensive care nurse, on January 24.
The House Homeland Security Committee hearing marked the first testimony from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services leaders since the shootings. Lyons declined to apologize to the families of Good and Pretti, citing ongoing investigations, but said he welcomed the opportunity to speak with Good's family privately. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) has led 156 lawmakers in a formal demand for leadership changes at ICE, while Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) have also called for accountability.
What the Left Is Saying
Democrats argue the Minneapolis operations represent excessive force and lack of accountability in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. "The disease rotting the Trump administration, on the inside out, started at the top and has infected every part of the executive branch," said Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the top Democrat on the committee. "Nowhere is that more evident than at the Department of Homeland Security."
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) told Lyons, "You are only here because white people are getting shot in the face and chest when the cameras are rolling." Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), co-sponsor of the ICE OUT Act with Swalwell, told Lyons that if he did not want his agency compared to "a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one."
Rep. Eric Swalwell pressed Lyons on his previous comment that deportations should work "like Amazon Prime, but with human beings," asking, "How many times has Amazon Prime shot a nurse 10 times in the back?" Swalwell also questioned whether any agents have been fired for misconduct under Lyons' leadership. Lyons said he would not discuss personnel matters.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), whose district includes areas of the Minneapolis operations, called for Lyons to be held accountable for what she described as a "military style occupation." Democrats have also raised concerns about U.S. citizens being detained during immigration raids, citing a ProPublica report identifying more than 170 instances of American citizens detained at raids or protests.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans and ICE leadership argue the agency is enforcing immigration law and that agents face unprecedented threats from coordinated protesters. "Leading this agency is a choice, and it's one I make to stand side-by-side with the brave men and women who enforce this nation's immigration laws," Lyons told Fox News Digital. "I'm proud of the work they do every day to keep our country, our communities, and our families safe — and like them, I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Lyons said lawmakers who "mischaracterize" ICE's mission and use their recollection as grounds for resignation demands are "misleading their constituents and doing our nation a disservice." He added, "I will not resign, because I believe in the rule of law and will continue to uphold my oath."
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott testified that immigration officers face an "unprecedented increase in attacks by people who interfere with law enforcement action," describing these actions as "coordinated and well-funded." Scott said the reason so many agents deployed to Los Angeles and Minneapolis was because "for every arrest, the agency placed two teams — one to do the arrest and another one to deal with the protesters."
Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) framed the hearing as part of regular oversight and said "we must take the temperature down and look at the record of enforcement actions through rational eyes." Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) defended the use of body cameras, saying, "Everyone assumes this body camera footage is bad footage. In so many cases it's the exact opposite, and we get a show from the officer's lens what exactly they're dealing with on a daily basis."
What the Numbers Show
Since President Trump returned to office, ICE has removed more than 475,000 people from the U.S. and conducted nearly 379,000 arrests, according to Lyons' testimony. The agency has hired more than 12,000 officers and agents.
Currently, 3,000 out of 13,000 ICE agents wear body cameras, with an additional 6,000 cameras to be deployed. About 10,000 of 20,000 Border Patrol agents wear cameras, according to Scott.
Immigration officers have shot a total of 13 people since September, four fatally, according to NBC News. The two Minneapolis shootings in January occurred during Operation Metro Surge, which led to nationwide protests.
A ProPublica report from October identified more than 170 instances of U.S. citizens who were detained at raids or protests. Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) said a number of U.S. citizens in his majority-Latino district have been detained, some for several days, though Lyons testified he was not aware of any such cases.
The Bottom Line
The standoff between ICE leadership and Democratic lawmakers reflects the broader political divide over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement approach. With Lyons refusing to resign and over 150 Democrats demanding leadership changes, the conflict is likely to continue as investigations into the Minneapolis shootings proceed. Lyons has committed to publicly releasing body camera footage from Minnesota and said he welcomes transparency, while both ICE and CBP leaders agreed to provide the committee with full investigation reports once concluded. The controversy comes as congressional talks have stalled ahead of a Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security.