Democratic lawmakers announced plans to expand investigations into fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents following the party’s performance in the recent midterm elections. The focused probes follow the deaths of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement surge in Minneapolis last January, as well as the death of Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston in July. According to reports, at least seven other individuals have been killed by federal immigration agents since President Trump took office last year.
The planned investigations come as community members in Minneapolis and Houston placed "I Voted" stickers at memorials for those killed. Relatives of the deceased, including Good’s brother Brent Ganger and Pretti’s friend Nicki Adams, stated that the election results reflect a public demand for accountability. While Democrats previously held "shadow hearings" featuring testimony from witnesses and family members, the new congressional majority provides the authority to issue subpoenas and compel testimony from executive branch officials.
Democratic leaders identified several individuals they may call to testify, including White House Border Czar Tom Homan, White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, former Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), expected to lead the House Judiciary Committee, stated that Congress will use "every tool" to investigate ICE. In response, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) general counsel James Percival characterized the move as "political shenanigans" and "nonsense," while a White House spokesperson described the efforts as "sham investigations."
For federal agencies and their leadership, the scale of this oversight involves high-ranking officials within the DHS and the White House who may now be legally required to testify under oath. While Democrats lack the veto-proof majority required to pass new laws or cut agency funding, the information gathered through congressional subpoenas could be shared with state authorities. In Minnesota, state officials have already been engaged in legal disputes with the federal government to obtain evidence related to the deaths of Pretti and Good for potential use in local criminal investigations.
The next steps involve formal committee assignments and the issuance of document preservation notices. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), expected to lead the House Committee on Homeland Security, has already sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding the agency preserve all relevant records. While the White House maintains that it still controls the powers of the federal government, the new congressional majority is prepared to begin hearings and evidence collection once the new term starts. Specific dates for the first hearings have not yet been reported.