Trump’s ICE Leaders Ordered To Testify?
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul is calling senior immigration officials to testify before Congress as public attention intensifies around federal enforcement operations in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities.
In a series of formal letters, Paul requested testimony from the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The senator emphasized Congress’s duty to oversee how billions in taxpayer dollars are being spent on border security and immigration enforcement.
Paul noted that Republican lawmakers, working with Donald Trump, have approved historic funding levels to secure the border and enforce federal immigration law. With that funding, Paul said, comes a responsibility to ensure the agencies are operating effectively, lawfully, and in the best interests of the American people.
Paul said Congress has a duty to oversee how taxpayer funds are spent, making sure the money advances the mission, properly backs law enforcement, and keeps communities safe.
The Kentucky senator has asked agency leaders to appear at an open hearing scheduled for February 12 and requested written responses ahead of time.
Letters were sent to CBP’s Rodney Scott, ICE’s Todd Lyons, and USCIS Director Joseph Edlow.
Paul’s inquiry comes as lawmakers debate an additional $10 billion in funding for ICE operations in fiscal year 2026. That proposal follows the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law last summer, which already commits roughly $76 billion to ICE over the next four years.
In a recent post on social media, Paul highlighted the scale of the spending increase, noting that even without the new funding request, ICE’s budget would remain significantly higher than in prior years.
“The Senate is debating another $10B for ICE,” Paul wrote. “But Congress already locked in nearly $19B per year for four years. Even if this fails, ICE will still receive nearly 90% more funding than last year.”
While Paul has long defended Fourth Amendment protections, he has largely avoided public commentary on specific enforcement actions in Minneapolis. The city has drawn national attention following a federal court ruling involving the warrantless entry into a private residence during an immigration arrest.
That case involved Garrison Gibson, a Liberian national who entered the U.S. as a child and was living under an order of supervision at the time of his arrest.
Public scrutiny intensified further after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, an incident that has prompted renewed debate over federal law enforcement operations in the region.
Several Senate Republicans have called for a full and transparent investigation into the shooting. Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer suggested the administration may want to reevaluate how immigration enforcement resources are deployed.
In an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, Comer said other cities struggling with violent criminal illegal immigration may be more receptive to federal enforcement efforts.
The ongoing debate highlights a broader divide in Washington over immigration enforcement strategy—even as border security and interior enforcement continue to receive unprecedented levels of taxpayer funding.
