House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing Tuesday featuring testimony from top immigration officials, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced it was targeting additional Republican-held districts for the 2026 midterm elections. The hearing included the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Todd Lyons, along with Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, and Joseph Edlow, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. These officials were questioned following recent events, including shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis.
The hearing was prompted by increased calls for congressional oversight of immigration operations, particularly following the January 7th shooting of Renee Good and the January 24th shooting of Alex Pretti. All three agencies fall under the Department of Homeland Security. According to CBS News, the officials had been invited to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee.
Simultaneously, the DCCC revealed its strategy for the upcoming midterm elections. The committee is adding five seats to its list of Republican-held districts it aims to flip in 2026. The DCCC is targeting districts won by President Donald Trump in 2024 by 13 points or less, arguing that recent Democratic successes in special elections indicate a favorable political environment. "Democrats are on offense, and our map reflects the fact that everyday Americans are tired of Republicans broken promises," according to ABC News.
In related news, Maryland Governor Wes Moore is facing scrutiny regarding the accuracy of a story about his family's history, specifically claims about his grandfather and the Ku Klux Klan. Governor Moore, who has been discussed as a potential White House candidate, had previously stated, "I am literally the grandson of someone who was run out of this country by the Ku Klux Klan," according to Fox News, referencing a 2023 interview with Time Magazine.
Also on Tuesday, Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, alleged that the Biden Department of Justice bypassed constitutional safeguards by subpoenaing phone records of sitting members of Congress. Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, indicated that the panel planned to question executives from Verizon, ATT, and T-Mobile about the disclosure of the phone records.
In other political developments, Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett stated that fiery "clapbacks" are more important than accuracy in the current political environment. When asked if politicians should be "clapback artists," Crockett responded, "I think that in this moment," according to Fox News.
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