A tense standoff unfolded in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing as Representative Eric Swalwell demanded the resignation of Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. Swalwell presented Lyons with a stark ultimatum: step down, or be seen as aligning with those he termed “killers.” The confrontation wasn’t a sudden eruption, but the latest in a series of clashes over ICE’s deportation policies.
Swalwell’s challenge centered on a litany of accusations, painting a grim picture of ICE’s actions under Lyons’ leadership. He described instances of alleged brutality – women forcibly dragged through the streets, a six-year-old cancer patient deported, and claims of a U.S. citizen wrongly removed from the country. These accusations formed the core of Swalwell’s argument that Lyons’ position had become untenable.
The California lawmaker, currently vying for the governorship, argued that the very people ICE is meant to serve are actively fleeing its reach. He pointed to what he characterized as “disgraceful” statements from Department of Homeland Security officials, suggesting they should be enough to compel Lyons to seek new employment. The question was direct and emotionally charged: would Lyons stand with vulnerable children, or with those inflicting “terror”?
Lyons stood firm, delivering a resolute “No sir, I won’t.” He immediately challenged the narrative presented by Swalwell, specifically addressing a poster displayed by Swalwell’s team depicting a young child. Lyons asserted that ICE officers had actually provided care for the child after the father abandoned him and evaded law enforcement.
The case in question involved Adrian A.C. Arias, an Ecuadorian national targeted by ICE. Democrats and some media outlets had claimed DHS targeted the child, but Lyons countered that the child’s safety was paramount, and an ICE officer remained with him during his father’s apprehension. A DHS official confirmed that ICE did not intentionally target the child.
Swalwell then shifted tactics, referencing Lyons’ previous comments at a Border Security Expo where he suggested streamlining immigration enforcement to match the efficiency of Amazon Prime delivery. In a pointed exchange, Swalwell sarcastically asked how many times Amazon Prime had shot a mother in the face, referencing a separate incident in Minneapolis.
Lyons swiftly responded, clarifying that his Amazon analogy was solely focused on improving technology and efficiency within DHS, including the use of artificial intelligence. He emphasized a crucial distinction: “We deal with human beings, so we can't be like them.” He insisted that the context of his remarks had been deliberately omitted.
Following Swalwell’s intense questioning, Chairman Andrew Garbarino ceded the floor to Representative Michael Guest, who engaged Lyons in a more amicable exchange. The shift signaled a clear contrast in approaches, highlighting the deep partisan divide surrounding ICE and its operations.
