Marimar Martinez, woman shot by Border Patrol, testifies at Congressional hearing on immigration enforcement
Will Chicago see another surge in immigration raids like last year's Operation Midway Blitz? That was a topic on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, as two Chicagoans testified before the House Homeland Security Committee about their encounters with Border Patrol and ICE agents.
As the Department of Homeland Security seeks more funding for immigration enforcement efforts, teacher Marimar Martinez, who was shot by a Border Patrol agent last fall, expressed deep concern about more violent encounters involving immigration agents should there be a new surge of immigration sweeps in Chicago.
"My life was nearly taken by my own government," she said. "Charles Exum was my attempted executioner."
Border Patrol agent Charles Exum shot Martinez five times in October after agents wrongly claimed she tried to ram into them.
"Individuals are being singled, characterized by their accent, color of their skin. This raises serious concerns about fairness, discrimination and abuse of authority," Martinez said.
Hospitalized, then criminally charged, she has since been exonerated, and testified Wednesday against more money going to Border Patrol.
"I want the world to see my pain, my trauma, because it's not something to joke about, right? This is my life. We're talking about my life," she said. "It's not fair I was indicted. I went to prison. I've been through hell and back. I fought for my freedom, for my voice."
Also testifying was Pastor David Black, of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago in Woodlawn, who told lawmakers about his experience protesting outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview in September.
"The masked agents opened fire on me, shooting me at least seven times in the head, in the face, and the body with pepper balls," he told lawmakers at the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Black lamented efforts by Republicans in Congress to increase spending for immigration enforcement without reforms sought by Democrats – like requiring federal agents to remove masks, wear identification, and use body cameras.
"There's an effort underway to increase funding for ICE and CBP's abhorrent activities by tens of billions of dollars," Black said. "I want to remind members that a budget is a moral document, that what we spend reflects our priorities as a nation."
Since last fall, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was fired and Border Patrol commander at large Gregory Bovino – who led Operation Midway Blitz – has retired.
When Midway Blitz wrapped up last fall following the arrests of more than 4,000 people, a growing sense emerged that there would be a spring surge of immigration enforcement in Chicago.
But with May little more than a week away, there have been no signs of another major immigration enforcement push in Chicago.
U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Illinois) is watching for any signals from new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullen to sniff out what's next for Border Patrol in Chicago.
"I hope that it's such that they won't do what they did last fall back in Chicago," Ramirez said. "It's hard to tell, because they say one thing and change their mind, and until Mullin, the new secretary, comes before our committee, we won't really know what the strategy will look like moving forward."
Wednesday's hearing was led by House Democrats. Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-New York), who chairs the committee, called it an effort to "politicize national security and gaslight the American public."
Ramirez and other House Democrats wanted President Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to testify before the committee, but they did not attend the hearing.