Todd Lyons, the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, faced the bulk of the highly charged questioning, with Democrats scrutinizing him and Republicans offering broad support.
Lyons stood behind ICE's tactics, refusing to apologize for the actions of his officers despite criticism that the enforcement operations have trampled on the rights of both immigrants and American protesters.
He was joined by the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, and the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, in speaking before the House Committee on Homeland Security in a hearing called after federal officers killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Their testimonies are unlikely to quell simmering tensions over the centerpiece policy of Trump's second term, as his immigration campaign finds itself both flush with cash from a 2025 spending bill and falling in public support.