Democrat lawmakers and local leaders criticized the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics during a field hearing Monday in New Orleans focused on federal operations in Southeast Louisiana.
Axios reported that the hearing was scheduled before the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis over the weekend, an event that has since intensified scrutiny of DHS and ICE actions nationwide.
Some Republicans, including Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., have publicly raised concerns about DHS enforcement tactics, while House Democrats have increased calls to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., who requested the hearing and is a cosponsor of the impeachment resolution, said, "Under her direction, DHS and ICE have systematically violated the rights and privacy of Americans, terrorized our cities, and obstructed Congress."
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, City Council President JP Morrell, and immigration advocates presented testimony and materials to a four-member Democrat delegation led by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee.
No representatives from DHS or ICE attended the hearing.
"If Minneapolis is the tip of the spear, New Orleans is the hand, a blue city in a red state being used as a test case," Morrell said. "So goes New Orleans, so goes the South."
Moreno said she never received a response to a December request for information about federal immigration operations in the New Orleans area.
"What we saw here, and now in much more severe fashion in Minneapolis, is no longer an issue of immigration, public safety, or even politics," Moreno said.
"This is a cruel, divisive agenda lacking humanity," she said.
Advocacy groups urged Congress to increase oversight of federal immigration agents, investigate DHS for alleged human rights violations, restrict DHS funding, end immigration detention, close what they described as a 13th Amendment loophole related to prison labor, and terminate ICE operations.
Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., said Democrats currently have limited tools to block Trump administration immigration policies but expressed confidence about future action.
"When we take back the majority next year, we are going to do the job of reining in ICE, reining in this lawless administration, and restoring the rights of the people," Magaziner said.
Carter said DHS has not disclosed whether its Southeast Louisiana operation has concluded.
DHS previously said about 370 arrests were made roughly two weeks into the operation, well below a reported target of 5,000.
Reports out of Minnesota on Monday indicate that the recent ICE agent-involved shootings may be primarily responsible for what is said to be at least a partial pullout from the state of an unknown number of federal immigration enforcement leaders and frontline agents.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.