A powerful coalition of Democratic federal and state politicians gathered in St Paul, Minnesota on Friday to denounce what they termed the "intense trauma and terror" inflicted by a surge in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity ordered by the Trump administration.
Lawmakers Warn of Future Investigations
The special "accountability" hearing, staged at the state capitol, saw lawmakers issue a stark warning to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. They demanded she preserve all records for an impending investigation into the administration's use of deadly force. The hearing was titled "Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s deadly assault on Minnesota".
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a frequent target of President Trump's attacks, detailed aggressive tactics. She stated that dozens of US citizens had been detained without subsequent charges and that residents were being forcibly removed from their vehicles. "Abandoned cars with broken windows have become a normal sight of daily life in the Twin Cities," Omar reported, describing a climate of fear in Minneapolis and St Paul.
A Pattern of Reckless Force and Constitutional Erosion
The scrutiny of ICE operations has intensified following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer nine days prior. Good was unarmed and attempting to drive away when agents ordered her out of her car. The White House quickly labelled her a domestic terrorist, while protests have grown over her killing and the FBI's exclusion of state investigators from the inquiry.
Washington Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who chaired the panel, condemned a systemic pattern. "The Trump administration has targeted and terrorized people of all immigration statuses, including US citizens, violating constitutional rights and court orders," she asserted. Quoting a local editorial, she described a state "under siege" by battalions of armed federal agents, creating an environment that "feels like a military occupation."
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also participated, with Frey having previously told ICE to leave, arguing their presence made the city less safe.
Calls for Accountability and an End to Surges
Congresswoman Betty McCollum cited specific incidents of violence, including high school students being pepper-sprayed on school grounds. Directly addressing Secretary Noem, McCollum warned, "you better be preserving your documents unaltered, because you are going to be held to testify and you will be subpoenaed."
Jayapal called for an immediate end to the ICE surges, arguing the lawlessness endangered every American. "If they can erode the rights of some, they can do it to you. No one is safe," she concluded. The hearing coincided with ongoing, largely peaceful demonstrations and sporadic clashes with federal officers, as President Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy troops.
