ICE chief defends immigration enforcement operations before Congress

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons, joined by the heads of CBP and USCIS, testified to the House Homeland Security Committee defending recent enforcement operations and citing large arrest and removal totals; the hearing followed the deaths of two people during related protests. Undetermined at this time.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons, Customs and Border Protection chief Rodney Scott, and USCIS director Joseph Edlow testified before the House Homeland Security Committee in a three-hour hearing. They defended recent immigration enforcement operations and described agency activity and numbers. The hearing was held after two people died during protests connected to the enforcement actions in Minneapolis. The testimonies came as funding and policy questions remain active in Congress. Key facts: - Todd Lyons defended ICE operations and declined to apologize for officers' actions during enforcement activity. - Lyons said ICE carried out about 379,000 arrests and removed over 475,000 people in 2025. - Rodney Scott and Joseph Edlow also testified; Edlow focused on fraud referrals and policy changes affecting deportation protections. - The hearing followed the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis during protests tied to enforcement actions. Summary: The officials presented a unified defense of the administration's enforcement priorities and highlighted recent operational figures, while lawmakers pressed them on tactics and community impacts. Undetermined at this time.