How the head of ICE responded to questions in Congress over Trump’s immigration policies

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s top immigration officials appeared before Congress Tuesday for the first time since the shooting deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis, seeking to defend their officers’ actions as their agencies face intensifying scrutiny over nationwide immigration enforcement operations.

Todd Lyons, who is the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, came in for some of the sharpest questioning during a more than 3-hour-long hearing in front of the House Homeland Security Committee. He appeared alongside Rodney Scott, who heads Customs and Border Protection, and Joseph Edlow, who leads U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Lawmakers asked them about issues that have dominated the public discourse since Trump launched his mass deportations agenda at the start of his second term. Here are some of their answers.

Lyons and Scott faced scrutiny over the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti but they repeatedly declined to answer questions, citing active investigations.

Lyons was asked if he would apologize for the way some Trump administration officials characterized Good as an agitator, which he declined to do.

“I welcome the opportunity to speak to the family in private. But I’m not going to comment on any active investigation,” Lyons said.

Lyons said he had seen the video that captured Pretti’s shooting but said he could not comment because of the ongoing investigation.

Democrats painted masked officers as lawless and unaccountable. Republicans said masks are needed to protect officers from doxing.

Asked if he would commit to making his officers take off their masks and requiring them to wear “standard uniforms with identifiable badges,” Lyons answered with one word: “No.”

Lyons has said repeatedly that he supports officers who feel that they need to wear masks to protect their identities and their families.

Lyons and Scott said thousands of federal immigration officers are already outfitted with body cameras, with more to come.

Lyons said the body camera footage caught in Minneapolis would be released to the public.

“That’s one thing that I’m committed to is full transparency. And I fully welcome body cameras all across the spectrum in all of our law enforcement activities,” Lyons said.

The case of Liam Conejo Ramos, who was wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack while he was surrounded by immigration officers, has sparked controversy over the administration’s crackdown in Minnesota.

The boy and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, who originally is from Ecuador, were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on Jan. 20.

Asked about the case, Lyons denied that the boy was used as bait to get one of the parents out of the house, as neighbors and school officials have alleged.

“He was obviously upset. We comforted him. The officers actually placed him in one of our vehicles, played his favorite song, favorite music. Then they took him to McDonald’s,” Lyons said.

The congressional hearing took place in the shadow of a looming government shutdown that would only affect the Department of Homeland Security.

Democrats are threatening to block funding for the department when it expires unless there are more restraints for ICE and other law enforcement agencies carrying out Trump’s federal immigration agenda.

Republican Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi blamed Democrats for a possible shutdown and asked the agency heads whether such a shutdown would make the country less safe. They all answered that it would.

“It will have a great impact,” said Lyons. He said a shutdown would particularly harm the department’s task forces on transnational crimes and terrorism.

Lyons was asked if he would agree to pausing ICE operations during this year’s FIFA World Cup.

A Democratic lawmaker said visitors were concerned by ICE’s tactics. But Lyons declined to commit to a pause.

“ICE is dedicated to ensuring that everyone that visits the facilities will have a safe and secure event,” Lyons said.

With Trump’s call for the federal government to “take over” elections, the ranking member of the committee, Democrat Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, asked the officials to answer if they are involved in any efforts to guard voting precincts, with the midterms set for later this year.

“You’ve not been asked to start deploying people for areas anywhere?” Thompson asked.

Lyon and Scott each replied, “No, sir.”