Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Todd M. Lyons sparred with Democratic lawmakers who accused his agency of functioning like a violent secret police force at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday. He vowed to press forward with Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
Legislators pressed Lyons for over three hours on the detentions of U.S. citizens, the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, and aggressive actions by immigration officers in cities including Minneapolis. Lyons, at times, refused to answer questions, citing ongoing investigations, and complained about comparisons from Democratic lawmakers of ICE to Gestapo – a reference to the police of Nazi Germany, which conducted brutal arrests with no legal oversight.
In one contentious moment, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York) told Lyons that if he and his agents do not want to be referred to as a secret police force, then they should reevaluate their actions.
“I have a simple suggestion: If you don’t want to be called a fascist regime or secret police, then stop acting like one,” Goldman said.
Lyons was joined by Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney S. Scott and Customs and Immigration Services Director Joseph B. Edlow at the bipartisan hearing – the first time the heads of ICE and CBP had appeared before the committee in President Donald Trump’s second term. Although CBP and Border Patrol officers have been at the helm of some of the deportation campaign’s most controversial tactics – including use of force against protesters – much of the scrutiny was focused on ICE.
Republican legislators largely rallied to defend the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and praised the Trump administration for drastically reducing illegal border crossings. But some of the strongest remarks came from House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-New York), who appeared to take a swipe at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem – despite not naming her – by criticizing Department of Homeland Security officials for rushing to conclusions “about law enforcement or their fellow Americans” without the completion of an impartial investigation.
“Officials and elected leaders should not rush to judgment,” Garbarino said. “Public trust and public safety go hand in hand.”
The testimony from Lyons and Scott came as public support for Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda has plummeted in the wake of the fatal shootings in Minneapolis last month. Though the Trump administration has taken some measures to try to tamp down protests in that city, including withdrawing 700 federal officers, tensions have remained between local officials and the federal government about the broad scope of the immigration enforcement operations and the aggressive tactics of officers.
“Some Minnesota officials are finally signaling the willingness to cooperate with ICE,” Lyons said. “Well, let me be clear: Promises are not enough. We need action.”
The hearing also took place as DHS is set to shut down Saturday unless lawmakers strike a last-minute deal to fund the agency.
Democrats have demanded new restrictions on federal immigration agents in exchange for their votes. Their demands include tighter rules around the use of warrants, independent investigations of alleged misconduct, a ban on agents wearing masks, and a mandate for them to wear body cameras. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) have dismissed Republicans’ counteroffer as not detailed enough to negotiate over.
“I think it demonstrates that they want to be seen to be working with us, but they’re clearly sandbagging,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said. Republicans have argued that there is not enough time to hash out a deal and pass it before DHS shuts down. They want Democrats to agree to fund the agency to allow more time for negotiations.
The deaths of Pretti and Good have prompted public backlash and bipartisan calls for an independent investigation. Noem has also faced bipartisan criticism for suggesting after Pretti’s death that he had committed an “act of domestic terrorism” and sought to kill law enforcement, despite video from witnesses contradicting that account.
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (Mississippi), the top Democrat on the panel, directly condemned Noem’s actions in his opening remarks Tuesday, and he demanded that she resign.
“Secretary Noem is a liar with no concern for the lives of Americans killed by the department she runs,” he said. “She must go.”
Democrats also pressed the three officials on the ethics and morals of their actions. Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Michigan) asked Scott and Lyons if they expect to get a presidential pardon at the end of their terms. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-New Jersey) was more direct, telling Lyons he has blood on his hands over ICE’s tactics and asking, “Do you think you’re going to hell, Mr. Lyons?” before Garbarino interrupted her questioning.
Lyons said ICE has made 379,000 arrests in the first year of Trump’s administration, a figure that he said included 7,000 suspected gang members and more than 14,000 “known or suspected terrorists” – although he did not define who is given that designation. Federal data has shown that the majority of people who have been arrested do not have criminal convictions.
“The president has tasked us with mass deportation, and we are fulfilling that mandate,” Lyons said.
He said that immigration officers are facing “the deadliest operating environment” in history, including assaults and death threats, and that his family had been targeted. But he said: “Let me send a message to anyone who thinks you can intimidate us: You will fail.”
Noem announced last week that, “effective immediately,” DHS would deploy body cameras “to every officer in the field in Minneapolis” and would expand the body-cam program broadly, “as funding is available.” The Washington Post previously reported that in its initial budget proposal, the department said it planned to cut the staff of ICE’s body-cam program from 22 to three and reduce spending on the initiative from about $20.5 million to $5.5 million.
Lyons told lawmakers Tuesday that about 3,000 of ICE’s 13,000 officers in the field are assigned to wear body cameras, which can record their interactions with the public, and another 6,000 cameras are in the process of being deployed. Scott said that 10,000 of the 20,000 Border Patrol agents in the field have cameras and that the number is going to grow.
Asked about the training regimen of ICE officers, Lyons said the agency has not reduced the “meat of the training” but has sought to shorten amount of time it takes to get officers into the field. He said training used to take place five days a week for eight hours a day but has been changed to six days a week for 12 hours per day.
Scott said Border Patrol agents continue to undergo the standard 117-day training academy, while CBP officers attend for 103 days.
A poll from Quinnipiac University released last week found that 61 percent of voters did not think the Trump administration had provided an honest account of Pretti’s killing and that 58 percent said Noem should be removed. A recent poll from the Economist/YouGov found that 50 percent of U.S. adult citizens said ICE was making Americans less safe.
Under Noem, Border Patrol agents have played a growing role in conducting large-scale immigration enforcement operations in blue cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis. Those operations were led by senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino.
But after Pretti’s death, Bovino, who suggested that Pretti wanted to “massacre law enforcement,” left Minneapolis to return to California, where he was stationed previously. Trump instead dispatched border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis.
Edlow, Scott and Lyons are also set to appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs this week.
(c) 2026, The Washington Post
{Matzav.com}
New York City is expected to see a noticeable warm-up in the days ahead, following an extended stretch of severe cold weather that has been linked to at least 18 deaths.
For close to three weeks, temperatures across the city have remained well below seasonal norms, with most days failing to rise above the freezing point.
The prolonged cold set in immediately after the major snowstorm on January 25, leaving behind layers of grimy, hardened snow and ice that complicated everyday life, from navigating sidewalks to finding parking and managing trash collection.
According to AccuWeather, a shift in conditions is now underway. High temperatures are forecast to reach 35 degrees on Tuesday, climb to 41 on Wednesday, and hover between 35 and 40 degrees on Thursday and Friday.
After what residents have endured since late January, those readings may feel almost balmy by comparison.
The cold wave began intensifying on January 24, with temperatures staying largely in the teens and 20s through early February. Although daytime highs briefly edged above freezing on several occasions last week, nighttime lows and wind chills continued to plunge.
The most frigid night of the season occurred this past Shabbos, when temperatures dropped to 3 degrees and wind chills sank to nearly minus 20.
The toll of the cold was a major focus Tuesday at a City Council hearing examining City Hall’s handling of the Arctic blast, after at least 18 fatalities were recorded in New York City during the severe weather period.
{Matzav.com}
As he prepared to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, President Donald Trump said he believes the Israeli leader supports reaching an agreement with Iran and expressed optimism that the current round of nuclear negotiations could succeed.
Speaking with Israeli journalist Barak Ravid of Channel 12 and the Axios news site, Trump reflected on past confrontations with Tehran, referencing the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025 following the breakdown of diplomatic efforts. “Last time they didn’t believe I would do it,” Trump said.
According to the president, Iran misjudged Washington’s resolve. “They overplayed their hand,” he said, contrasting that episode with the current talks, which he described as markedly changed. “We can make a great deal with Iran.”
Trump also rejected suggestions that Netanyahu opposes the ongoing dialogue between Washington and Tehran, including a senior-level meeting held over the weekend in Oman. “He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal,” Trump said of the Israeli prime minister.
The president added that Iran, too, is eager to reach an understanding, saying the country “wants to make a deal very badly.”
At the same time, Trump underscored that the United States is prepared to escalate if negotiations fail. “Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” he told Ravid.
Trump further noted the expansion of the US military footprint in the region, saying, “we have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going,” and added that he is “thinking” about deploying an additional aircraft carrier strike group following recent reinforcements.
{Matzav.com}
An Israeli-Russian journalist was removed Tuesday from Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s flight to Washington, just moments before departure, in an incident that raised questions about security vetting and press access ahead of the prime minister’s meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Nick Kolyohin, an independent journalist who was traveling as part of the press group invited to the White House, was already preparing to board the Prime Minister’s aircraft, known as the “Wing of Zion,” when security personnel stopped him and escorted him off the plane shortly before takeoff.
Kolyohin, who moved to Israel as a child and later served in the IDF, said the decision was made exclusively by security officials. He maintained that no explanation was provided to him at the airport, despite the fact that his participation in the flight had received prior authorization.
The Prime Minister’s Office addressed the incident in a brief statement, saying: “The security authorities decided not to approve the journalist’s participation in the flight due to security considerations, but we cannot provide further details at this stage.”
The Shin Bet also commented, emphasizing its statutory responsibilities. In its statement, the agency said: “According to its mandate and duties under the law, the service is responsible, among other things, for securing the Prime Minister. As part of this, decisions are made to minimize risks to the Prime Minister and the information surrounding him. Naturally, it is not possible to address the reasons behind individual decisions.”
{Matzav.com}
Israeli officials told CNN ahead of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s expected meeting Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump that Iran’s military activity and the dangers it poses will be at the center of the talks.
According to the officials, Netanyahu plans to stress to Trump that Israel must retain the ability to act militarily against Iran, regardless of whether a diplomatic agreement is ultimately reached between Tehran and Washington. “Netanyahu will emphasize to Trump the need for military freedom of action in Iran, even if an agreement is signed between Tehran and Washington,” the officials said.
They added that the prime minister intends to brief Trump on newly obtained intelligence concerning Iran’s military developments, with particular focus on efforts to restore and expand its ballistic missile program.
Israeli assessments indicate that if no steps are taken to stop Iran, the country could amass as many as 2,000 missiles within a matter of weeks or months.
Netanyahu departed for Washington, D.C., earlier today for the diplomatic visit, during which he is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump. This marks Netanyahu’s seventh trip to the United States since Trump’s re-election.
Speaking before leaving Israel, Netanyahu said: “I am now going to the United States for my seventh trip to meet with President Trump since his re-election. This, of course, does not include his unforgettable visit to Israel and his speech in the Knesset.”
He went on to highlight the close ties between the two countries, saying: “I think these things reflect the unique closeness in the exceptional relationship we have with the United States, personally with the president, and with Israel and the United States-a relationship that has never been like this in our history.”
Netanyahu also made clear that Iran will be the primary focus of the discussions, alongside other regional matters. “In this trip, we will discuss a number of issues-Gaza, the region-but of course, first and foremost, the negotiations with Iran. I will present to the president our views on the principles of the negotiations, the important principles, which I believe are important not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who wants peace and security in the Middle East.”
{Matzav.com}
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President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States is prepared to use military force against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail to produce an agreement, signaling that force remains an option if negotiations break down.
Speaking in an interview with Channel 12 News, Trump emphasized that his preference is for a negotiated settlement, but made clear that he would not hesitate to act if talks do not succeed. “The Iranians very much want to reach a deal. Either we make a deal, or we will have to do something very tough – like last time,” he said.
Trump also revealed that he is weighing the possibility of further strengthening the U.S. military presence in the region, including the deployment of another aircraft carrier to the Middle East. “We have an armada there, and maybe another one on the way,” the President added.
The comments were made ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, which is set to take place Wednesday at the White House.
According to Trump, discussions with Netanyahu will center largely on Iran. He added that the Israeli prime minister is not feeling undue pressure from the ongoing negotiations, but is similarly interested in a favorable outcome. “I don’t think Netanyahu is pressured by the talks with Iran. He also wants a deal. He wants a good deal.”
{Matzav.com}
