Washington, Feb 11 (NationPress) During a US House of Representatives hearing, Todd Lyons, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alongside other immigration officials, faced intense questioning regarding mass deportation operations. Lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties expressed sharply contrasting opinions.

Lyons presented his testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee, joined by Rodney Scott, the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, and Joseph Edlow, the director of Citizenship and Immigration Services. All three agencies are part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as reported by Xinhua news agency.

The ICE chief, defending the mass deportation initiatives of the Trump administration, received commendation from Republican lawmakers while facing critique from Democrats, highlighting the current polarized political climate.

Democratic lawmakers questioned the officials on issues related to due process, inadequately regulated practices, and two tragic fatal shootings involving US citizens by federal agents. They also inquired about the potential resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who is under scrutiny for labeling the victims as having committed "an act of domestic terrorism".

In contrast, Republican representatives praised US President Donald Trump's mass deportation strategies, emphasizing the threats and risks encountered by federal immigration personnel.

New York Democratic Representative Timothy Kennedy criticized ICE's tactics, particularly regarding agents wearing masks during immigration actions. "In America, we shouldn't have secret police. We shouldn't have masked government agents executing citizens in the streets," he remarked.

When queried about the resignation of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Lyons refrained from answering, stating, "I'm not going to comment on an ongoing investigation." He expressed support for the use of body cameras by immigration agents, revealing that more than 3,000 out of around 13,000 ICE officers have them, along with approximately 10,000 Border Patrol agents out of 20,000.

Democratic Representative LaMonica McIver from New Jersey highlighted concerns, asking, "How many government agencies are you aware of that routinely kill American citizens and still receive funding?" She advocated for the complete abolition of ICE.

The recent fatal incidents involving federal enforcement in Minneapolis have prompted Democrats to call for reform in immigration agency operations, leading to a temporary lapse in government funding.

The DHS received only a two-week continuing resolution at current funding levels, enabling negotiations on immigration enforcement to continue between both parties and the White House. This funding is set to expire on Friday.

Democrats are demanding the cessation of roving patrols, stricter warrant regulations, implementation of an enforceable code of conduct aligning federal agents' use-of-force standards with those of local law enforcement, and a "masks off, body cameras on" policy for federal agents.