House Homeland Security Republicans have formally summoned ICE and CBP leadership to testify, sending letters dated January 24, 2026, demanding that ICE’s Todd Lyons and CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott appear before the committee as soon as possible. Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino memorialized a staff invitation first extended on January 15 and requested testimony alongside USCIS Director Joseph Edlow at an oversight hearing on border security and immigration enforcement. The letters frame the session as urgent oversight of DHS components’ use of resources and operations, reflecting intensified Republican pressure and public scrutiny over recent immigration and enforcement actions across the country. (homeland.house.gov)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended ICE’s aggressive operations after the Jan. 7 Minneapolis shooting of Renee Nicole Good, insisting agents acted lawfully and that video supported their account. She told reporters agents may ask nearby people to prove identity and said “it’s also breaking the law to conceal carry in Minnesota without an ID on you.” Critics accuse Noem and DHS of rushing to judgment after videos showed disputed footage and of detaining U.S. citizens; protests and calls for independent investigations followed. Noem’s remarks underscore rising tensions over Trump-era immigration enforcement and have drawn bipartisan concern and legal scrutiny. (people.com)
Attorney General Pam Bondi warned that “more arrests are coming” and vowed “accountability is coming” as the Justice Department and federal law enforcement intensify operations in Minnesota after violent clashes during immigration enforcement actions. (the-independent.com) Bondi said “the full weight of federal law enforcement is engaged” and cited arrests tied to an attack at Cities Church and the arrest of a man accused of assaulting an HSI agent. (breitbart.com) Federal grand‑jury subpoenas have been served to Gov. Tim Walz, AG Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey amid protests over an ICE officer’s fatal shooting, prompting heightened federal scrutiny and political backlash. (breitbart.com)
ICE’s large enforcement surge in Minnesota—part of a DHS operation deploying as many as 2,000 federal officers—has rattled the Twin Cities’ Somali community, officials, residents say. (pbs.org) Reporters document heavy federal presence and raids that have driven away customers; Somali-owned shopping hubs like Karmel Mall report precipitous drops in foot traffic and sales. (yahoo.com) Business owners warn they are losing revenue, struggling to pay rent, and fear closures or bankruptcy. (yahoo.com) Community leaders, civil-rights groups and local officials say the sweep has targeted Somalis amid fraud investigations and sparked protests and legal challenges. (muckrack.com)
On January 24, 2026, Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed by U.S. federal agents during an immigration-related operation outside a downtown intersection. His family released a statement saying, “We are heartbroken but also very angry,” called him a kindhearted caregiver who protected a woman, and disputed government claims that he brandished a gun. Bystander videos and witnesses show Pretti holding a phone and being pepper-sprayed and restrained before shots were fired. The killing prompted protests, renewed scrutiny of federal enforcement tactics, and calls for transparent local and criminal investigations into the incident and urgent accountability nationwide. (apnews.com)
Senate Democrats warned they will block any funding package that includes Department of Homeland Security and ICE money, raising the odds of a U.S. government shutdown on January 31, 2026. (axios.com) Leader Chuck Schumer and several senators said recent lethal actions by federal immigration agents, including a fatal Minneapolis shooting, make the DHS provisions unacceptable without stronger oversight and reform. (theguardian.com) Republicans had advanced a six‑bill funding package that contains the DHS measure; Democrats want DHS funding separated or amended to limit ICE enforcement powers. With the funding deadline days away, negotiations have intensified and the prospect of a shutdown has increased. (washingtonpost.com)
