Dem rep labels federal immigration agents 'thugs' in tense hearing

Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., unleashed a blistering onslaught connected national agents Tuesday, calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers "thugs" and accusing them of transgression behaviour during a heated House hearing.

The Democrat's comments came during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing connected Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversight.

"I person heard and seen enough. I'm conscionable sick and bushed of your agents moving astir successful our cities, successful our streets, causing amerciable activities," Thanedar told ICE acting manager Todd Lyons.

"ICE and CBP thugs are roaming our streets, attacking our communities, utilizing our children arsenic bait, referring to radical arsenic bodies and numbers, targeting radical for their accents and the colour of their skin, and sidesplitting American citizens — each portion showing zero remorse for their actions," helium continued.

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Lyons said ICE has made astir 379,000 arrests, including 7,000 suspected pack members and 1,400 suspected terrorists.

Amid the enforcement, national agents person faced a much than 8,000% summation successful decease threats.

Thanedar, who pushed authorities successful January to abolish ICE, dug into Lyons and U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner Rodney Scott, accusing them of transgression behaviour that could warrant a statesmanlike pardon. 

"Director Lyons and commissioner Scott, bash you deliberation President Trump volition pardon you and your boss, Kristi Noem, earlier helium leaves bureau — conscionable similar helium has for insurrectionists and his governmental allies," helium said. "Do you judge President Trump volition pardon you?"

Scott fired back, saying helium was proud of his service.

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"I'm not going to talk connected behalf of President Trump, but I'll archer you, I signed up for this occupation to support America," helium said. "I'm precise arrogant of the work that I provide, and I don't request a pardon from anybody."

Fellow Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., besides asked Lyons if helium would resign during the hearing, citing his vocation successful subject service.

"I've work your background, you person a dedicated career. You served successful the military… This is not the lone occupation you tin get," Swalwell said. "But since you've been connected this job, women person been dragged by their hairsbreadth done our streets. A six-year-old kid battling signifier 4 crab has been deported, and it turns retired helium was a US citizen. People are moving done the fields wherever they work. People who've gone to the streets arsenic allies person been changeable and publically executed."

"It's a determination to enactment connected astatine this point, and considering your honorable work successful the past, and the dishonorable acts that those who person worked for you person conducted, and the disgraceful statements that the enactment supra you person said, you present person a decision: volition you basal with the kids who you're expected to protect, oregon volition you broadside with the killers bringing panic to our streets. Mr. Lyons, volition you resign from ICE?" Swalwell asked.

Lyons simply responded, "No, sir, I won't."

When pressed further, helium added, "Because, sir, that kid that you're showing close there, the men and women of ICE took attraction of him erstwhile his begetter abandoned him."