Breaking: Lawmakers Demand Answers from Kristi Noem Over ICE Detaining U.S. Citizens
Federal immigration agents accused of racial profiling, harsh treatment of U.S. citizens in new oversight probe.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic leaders in Congress on Monday launched a formal inquiry demanding accountability from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following a surge in reports that U.S. citizens, many of them Latinos, have been wrongfully detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
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In a letter sent to Noem, top Democrats from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform condemned what they called unconstitutional detentions and “disproportionate force” against citizens. The lawmakers cited reports that more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by immigration agents in the past nine months, with dozens held for more than 24 hours and many unable to contact attorneys or loved ones.
The lawmakers requested a full accounting of all citizens detained by ICE, CBP or any Department of Homeland Security component since Jan. 20, 2025. They also called for the release of policies on how agents are trained to distinguish citizens from non-citizens, recognize valid identification, and use force.
“President Trump has embraced the use of federal immigration agents to terrorize communities nationwide whose politics he disfavors, a campaign that has increasingly ensnared U.S. citizens,” the letter said.
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Citing cases from Los Angeles, Chicago, and Alabama, the lawmakers detailed how Latino U.S. citizens—including military veterans—have been held for days despite providing authentic identification. In some cases, agents reportedly dismissed official documents as fake or questioned their authenticity based on racial profiling.
The Congressional committees have set a deadline of Nov. 3 for Noem to produce detailed reports, training materials, and records of all related complaints. The inquiry signals a new level of Democratic pressure for transparency and oversight on federal immigration enforcement tactics targeting American citizens.
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Republicans will delay this hearing, but in November 2026 their day of reckoning is coming.
Good step forward.