More than two dozen U.S. House Democrats convened in St. Paul on Friday for an unofficial Congressional hearing on the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agents in Minnesota, spotlighting the testimony of local officials and witnesses as the federal operation intensifies. 

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal — the Democrat from the state of Washington who is the ranking member on a subcommittee on immigration — chaired the meeting alongside U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents Minneapolis and some surrounding suburbs. 

It was the sixth hearing in a series focusing on federal immigration enforcement, but none have seen the response and turnout from members of Congress like this one, she said. 

It followed two shootings by ICE in Minneapolis in a week's time, including the killing of Renee Good that sparked national outcry and set off protests. Jayapal and Omar were joined by all DFL members of Minnesota's Congressional delegation and 24 other House Democrats from 18 states. 

"We will do everything in our power to hold the administration accountable and stop this lawlessness," Jayapal said. 

The Trump administration has doubled down on its presence here, maintaining that federal officers are focused on arresting immigrants here illegally who are "the worst of the worst." Department of Homeland Security Secretary Krisi Noem told reporters at the White House on Thursday that there are "no plans" to pull out of Minnesota.

President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in the state. 

"It is increasingly clear that the entire purpose of these actions is to provoke chaos and fear in order to justify invoking the Insurrection Act and expand the president's ability to reign terror upon American cities who do not vote for him," Omar said. 

Patty O'Keefe, a 36-year-old U.S. citizen who lives in Minneapolis, shared with lawmakers her experience being detained by ICE. She said she was arrested after observing ICE operations and was held in custody for more than eight hours before being released with no charges.

"About two minutes into the ride, one agent said, 'You guys got to stop obstructing us. That's why this lesbian b**** is dead,' speaking of Renee Good, which filled me with rage and sadness," she said. "How could you say that?"

Officers, she said, also didn't identify themselves at the time of the arrest and they put her in ankle shackles when she arrived at the Whipple Federal Building in Fort Snelling to the detention facility. 

"At the detention center, I was made to feel intimidated and as though my constitutional rights and biological needs didn't matter. After all that I was released without charges, which makes it clear to me that this is more of a campaign to spread fear and terror than it is to enforce the law," O'Keefe said. 

The 3,000 agents and officers on the ground amounts to five times the number of Minneapolis police officers patrolling the city.

Mendota Heights Police Chief Kelly McCarthy – who was the onetime chair of the state Peace Officer Standards and Training board – said ICE's conduct in Minnesota is not how local police are trained.

Many members questioned her about some of ICE's tactics. She said their actions are eroding hard-fought efforts to rebuild relationships with communities after George Floyd's murder more than five years ago.

"We have to acknowledge that the tactics of some ICE agents during Operation Metro Surge are reducing the public's trust in local police, making the job of our cops harder and making us all less safe." McCarthy said. 

WCCO reached out to all GOP members of Minnesota's Congressional delegation. Majority Whip Tom Emmer and U.S. Rep. Brad Finstad's offices both said neither Congressmen was invited to participate. 

"Minnesota Democrats in Congress had zero interest in asking questions during last week's Oversight hearing on fraud, so their sudden interest to exercise their oversight authorities is almost comical," Emmer said in a statement, referencing GOP state lawmakers' testimony to the House Oversight Committee last week about ongoing investigations into alleged fraud in state programs. "Their political charade of a hearing will do nothing to help turn down the temperature in the Twin Cities. They'll come, they'll rail against law enforcement and the rule of law, and will accomplish nothing."

A spokesperson for Finstad said he "doesn't attend Democrat anti-police events."

Many Democrats during the hearing criticized the influx of $170 billion to the Department of Homeland Security approved by Republicans in the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill" last summer — the largest infusion of money Congress has ever allocated for federal immigration enforcement.  

Some threatened not to support an additional appropriations bill for the agency as Congress again stares down a deadline for government funding at the end of the month. 

"We have the power of the purse and we can demand accountability before giving a single dime more to DHS, to ICE and [Customs and Border Protection]," Jayapal said.