Ranking member criticizes DHS, ICE and 'sanctuary' hearings in opening statement

Mr. Raskin, the committee's ranking member, opened the hearing by thanking witnesses and criticizing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for enforcement practices he said have harmed communities.

He introduced parents Mr. Abraham and Mrs. Gorman, who were present to speak about their daughters, described by Raskin as victims of violent crimes. "Anyone who commits a crime must be held accountable swiftly and completely," he said, and added that "immigrants, whether lawful or undocumented, who commit violent crimes, must be deported at the end of their criminal sentences."

The ranking member framed the hearing as part of a broader debate over federal and local roles in immigration enforcement. He criticized Republican-led repeat hearings on so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions, noting this was the fourth such session and questioning the term's usefulness. He said a DHS list that once included nearly 400 counties provoked backlash and was quickly withdrawn because it labeled jurisdictions that had resisted unfunded federal mandates.

Raskin argued local officials routinely cooperate with federal authorities by notifying them when an immigrant prisoner will be released, and by arranging transfers when asked, but insisted many localities lack constitutional authority to hold individuals beyond their judicial sentences "for the convenience of federal officials." He cited historical limits on federal commandeering in the context of the Brady Handgun Control Act and a case he described as the "Prince" case.

He sharply criticized DHS spending choices, alleging the department has misused large appropriations on costly items rather than prioritizing public safety. "The Department of Homeland Security has used this staggering pile of money to waste on luxurious private jets for the secretary, complete with bedrooms and bars," he said, and referenced what he described as a "$220 million public relations" effort.

Raskin accused ICE of misconduct that, he said, undercuts local law enforcement's ability to investigate and prosecute crimes by deporting victims, witnesses and informants without notice. He cited a House Judiciary Democrats report titled "Acquitted by Removal," which he said documents how mass-deportation policies can allow perpetrators to avoid justice. He also referenced a study he said found that metro areas targeted by ICE had lost roughly 670,000 jobs, up to 44% of which he said were held by U.S. citizens; Raskin did not name the study in the opening statement.

On policy, Raskin urged Congress to pursue comprehensive immigration reform that would make unlawful entry harder and lawful entry easier, legalize Dreamers, expand admission categories, and refocus DHS and ICE on the most dangerous offenders. He called for "guardrails on ICE" and reinvestment in local public-safety programs he said the administration had cut.

He also criticized the pardon power's application to serious offenders and said he believed nearly $2 billion in restitution has gone unpaid because of the administration's use of pardons. He said a bipartisan border-security bill was previously negotiated but was scuttled, in his telling, for political reasons.

The hearing proceeded to witness testimony after Raskin's opening remarks.