Lawmakers debated ICE agents’ use of masks and civilian clothing during operations, with Democrats warning the tactics could lead to dangerous confrontations.
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RepublicansandDemocratsclashedataHomelandSecurityhearingonWednesday,sharplydisagreeingoverwhetherpublicrhetoricoroperationaltacticshavespurredviolenceagainstlawenforcementinrecentmonths.
Althoughthecommitteediscussedthesafetyofservicemembersfromarangeofdifferentagencies,lawmakersspentmuchoftheirtimeconsideringthepublicdiscoursesurroundingU.S.ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE)operations.
WHERETHETRUMPADMIN’SCOURTFIGHTOVERDCNATIONALGUARDSTANDSINWAKEOFSHOOTING
Aheadofthehearing,Rep.MichaelGuest,R-Miss.,saidhedoesn’tbelievethatDemocrat-ledcriticismsofICEhavedirectlyledtoviolencebuthavecreatedanenvironmentthatmakesthemmorelikely.
“Someofitisrhetoricthatwe’veseencomeoutofmanypeopleintheDemocratParty.Imean,youknow,therehavebeenexampleswherewe’vehadgovernors,mayors,membersofCongresswhohavehadveryderogatorythingstosa
