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The acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Todd Lyonsdefended this Tuesday before the US Congress the “historical results“achieved during the second term of the American president, Donald Trump, in reference to the arrests carried out by its agents of immigrants without documentation during recent months.
During his speech before the National Security Committee of the House of Representatives, the person responsible for border protection highlighted that, from January 20, 2025 to January 20, 2026, ICE carried out a total of 379,000 arrests. Among them, “more than 7,000 suspected gang members and more than 1,400 suspected terrorists,” he highlighted.
Since records began in 2003, ICE has officially reported more than 200 deaths of people in its custody. Only in 2025 it is estimated that at least 37 fatalities32 of them under arrest and another five during detention operations.
Representatives of the Democratic party have questioned Lyons about the events that led to the death of Renee Good y Alex Pretti, after federal agents opened fire on them.
In addition, they have condemned the Trump Administration’s immigration repression for detain people who were legally in the country or who had no criminal record.
They have also criticized ICE’s aggressive tactics, alleging that federal agents used disproportionate force and carried out “unlawful actions.”
Far from self-criticism, Lyons has warned that “this is just the beginning”: “ICE remains committed to the principle that those who enter illegally in our country they must be held accountable,” he added.
Despite the rejection caused by ICE’s intervention in Minnesota, its acting director has assured that the agency operates in the “most lethal operating environment in its history.” “Anyone who thinks they can intimidate us is going to fail,” Lyons warned.
“Lethal operating environment”
The acting chief has assured the members of the commission that his unit’s activity occurred “in the most lethal operating environment in the history of ICE.” Furthermore, he has pointed out that in the last year death threats against their staff grew by 8,000%, while attacks shot up by 1,400%.
ICE agents in a raid in Minneapolis.
Europa Press
According to Lyons, the families of ICE personnel have felt unsafe in their homes. “I know this first-hand because my own family was the target of attacks,” he said.
Eric Swalwella Democratic representative from California, has questioned Lyons, demanding that he apologize to the victims of the Minneapolis shootings for linking them to domestic terrorism.