Ranking Member Thompson Demands Chairman Garbarino Schedule ICE Hearing Immediately
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) demanding a hearing immediately with ICE officials after the shooting deaths of Renee Nicole Macklin Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of Federal immigration officials.
Previously, Chairman Garbarino invited ICE to a January 21 hearing after Democrats insisted on their participation. However, ICE rejected the invitation. After the shooting of Alex Pretti Saturday, Chairman Garbarino sent invites to ICE and other administration officials hoping they will testify at a future date – possibly as late as March.
“Members of a co-equal branch of government in a constitutional republic cannot abide such lawlessness from the executive branch for one day let alone seven weeks,” Ranking Member Thompson wrote. “CHS must hear from these DHS immigration officials immediately, and if they do not come voluntarily, they must be subpoenaed.”
“Mr. Chairman, you did not create the horrific situation in Minneapolis, but your votes to fund DHS without meaningful restrictions and give ICE near limitless resources to exact violence on the American people—at the expense of everyday Americans’ healthcare—through last year’s Big Ugly Bill abets this evil. And every day the Committee fails to exercise oversight of those who are perpetrating this madness enables it further. We must do our jobs now. We cannot wait weeks. Our country is in peril. American lives are at risk.”
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