US immigration agency heads testify before Congress amid crackdown controversy

Heads of three US federal immigration agencies defended their enforcement actions during President Trump's second term before the House Homeland Security Committee. The hearing occurred on February 10, the deadline for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, which risks a partial government shutdown. Discussion focused on large-scale immigration operations, particularly in Minneapolis, which sparked massive protests. During these January events, CBP and ICE agents were involved in the deaths of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Petrie. Democratic Representative Tim Kennedy criticized the administration for allegedly disregarding the law and the Constitution. Rodney Scott, head of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), reported that illegal entries reached record lows over the past year. Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) head Todd Lyons stated the agency conducted 475,000 deportations in 2025. The agency leaders defended their records while attributing previous border issues to the Biden administration.